LYNDSAY WEARS:
Above: Top, Zara.
Jeans, Dorothy
Perkins. Boots,
Primark. Scarf and
hat, both Topshop
p: Dress, Dorothy
Perkins. Shoes,
New Look. Necklace,
Red Herring at
Debenhams.
Bag, ASOS‘I’m an active and
pain-free mum’
Lyndsay Burns, , is a legal secretary. She lives in
Skelmersdale, Lancashire, with her husband, Paul, and
their children, Callum, , and Abigail, . Lyndsay is ft
ins tall and weighs st ½lbs. She’s lost st ½lbs at
Sarah Rice’s Slimming World group in Upholland, LancsA
s my husband, Paul, and daughter, Abi,
bounded up the hill ahead of me, I had to
stop. The pain in my back was intense and
I felt my cheeks burning as they came to
check on me. ‘I can’t do this. I just can’t,’ I said.
They’d persuaded me to go on a rare walk up
Beacon Point, a local landmark. Even though
I hadn’t exercised for years, it was a shock to realise
the gentle slopes were now too much for me.
Back home, I sat in the living room brooding.
My chronic back problems had become worse – I
often needed prescription painkillers – and I longed
to be able to chase around after my energetic
10-year-old daughter. Instead, I spent most of my life
sitting down. My job as a legal secretary meant I was
at my desk all day and, when I eventually got home,
I’d feel so tired that I’d heat up a ready meal or a pie
and oven chips, and spend the evening on the sofa.
Enough was enough and in April 2016, just a few
days later, I joined Slimming World with my sister,
Louise. Right from the start, Paul and the kids were
firmly onside, giving me lots of encouragement.
I think it helped that they all loved the home-made
food! As I’d hardly cooked before, I started with
simple recipes I recognised, like Slimming World
lasagne, steak with mushroom sauce and
a creamy pasta made with extra-light soft
cheese instead of cream. While most of my
creations went down a treat, I did have the
occasional cooking disaster. Paul helped
me laugh it off, though. My Consultant,
Sarah, was fantastic, too, urging me to keep
going whenever I hit a glitch. Pretty soon,
I’d made real friends at group, and was
regularly swapping tips on Facebook.
Paul also started joining me on slow
walks, then brisk walks, then jogs. At first,
my back would twinge and I felt as though
my lungs would burst, but with Paul
spurring me on, I persevered. It was like
having my own personal trainer!
Months later I was at home with Abi
when she gave me a big, spontaneous hug.
‘Mum,’ she said, ‘now I can get my arms all
the way around you!’ That gave me just the
boost I needed to lose those final pounds, and to join
a gym – something I’d never have had the confidence
to do when I was a size 20 and held up by back pain.
I was finally the active mum I wanted to be, and I felt
fit and happy in my size-12 clothes. Now I’m the one
dragging my family up hills. Laughing at their
good-natured groans as I bound out of the door, I’ll
shout back at Paul and the kids: ‘Come on you lot.
It’s a beautiful day – let’s make the most of it!’ SLIMMING WORLDREV1_Group success_BG.indd 16 15/11/2017 09: