gain was down to my changed eating habits, I felt
powerless to stop myself. I didn’t go out riding
my bike any more – instead, I’d stay indoors and
play computer games or watch TV. After two years,
my health also began to suffer. The conditions I’d
had since birth – epilepsy and tachycardia, which
is an abnormally rapid heartbeat – started getting
worse. Even walking would make me out of breath,
and Mum was becoming increasingly worried.
A change of lifestyle
In early 2006, when I was 14 years old and weighed
around 22st, Mum started mentioning the Slimming
World group at our local church hall. My grown-up
sister Tammy had lost weight there, and Mum was
convinced that group could work for me, too. I was
already finding it difficult to enjoy the kind of things
most teenagers wouldn’t think twice about – I’d been
avoiding trips to the cinema because I couldn’t fit
into the seats any more, and shopping for clothes
with my friends was something I wouldn’t even
contemplate. Still, I stubbornly refused to go along,
so she tried a different tactic.
‘Let’s go for a walk,’ Mum said, putting on her
jacket and heading for the door. It was something
she did quite often just to get me out in the fresh air,
but that night she was particularly insistent, standing
by the door and looking at me expectantly. I pulled
on my coat and followed her dutifully, wondering
what she was up to. ‘I’ve been thinking we should do
this more often,’ she said. ‘It’s nice for us to get the
chance to chat and be active together, isn’t it?’ I was
instantly suspicious. ‘We chat all the time. Where are
we going, exactly?’ One more street and across the
road, and it suddenly became clear as the church
steeple rose into view. ‘I know what you’re doing!’
I said, stopping dead. Mum smiled and sighed.
‘Let’s just give it a try. I’m going to join as well, so
you won’t be on your own.’ Realising I’d been had,
all I could do was follow Mum through the doors
and into group.
As the weeks went by, encouraged by the
inspiring atmosphere in group, I began to realise
there was another lifestyle for me. Mum and Tammy
were a constant support as I got to grips with
Free2Go, Slimming World’s plan for 11 to 15-year-
olds, where the emphasis was on enjoying healthy,
filling meals, gradually reducing sugary and fatty
foods, and being more active. I began to see food
in a whole new way, and became interested in
cooking. Slimming World lasagne and spaghetti
Bolognese were my staples, and I found I could
easily turn down the chocolate bars and crisps now
that I was filling up on healthy meals. I lost almost
7st in the space of 18 months, and felt much better
about myself. Mum was thrilled when I started
As good things
began to come
into my life,
my confidence
and energy
levels g r ew.
I started to feel
as if anything
was possible
38 SLIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE