Real Success

Judy Flanagan from Lincoln lost a remarkable 4 stones to improve her health and join in with family fun. After a miserable Christmas last year, one year on and at her target weight, Judy can’t wait for the festivities!

“I’ve always had a 'large frame' but as I’m tall people always said I could carry it off. I started putting weight on at 18 years old after slipping a disc in my back. When I got married and had children I put on more weight and slipped a disc again very badly which led to mobility problems. A lack of exercise meant I put lots more weight on, and it spiralled out of control.

“I tried all sorts of diets – with the point-counting ones I’d use up my allowance by lunchtime and I always felt hungry. I found the Atkins plan very antisocial with side effects such as bad breath, funny coloured urine and feeling nauseous at the greasy, fatty foods. I couldn’t stick to these diets for very long.

“I decided to join Slimming World after the most horrid Christmas Day ever last year. I was so unhappy and worried silly about my health. My back was hurting all the time despite the painkillers and I couldn’t go upstairs or lie down without having to use my inhaler. I had to buy a larger size top to wear on Christmas Day and was just so upset the whole time and was nasty to everyone. I couldn’t sit on the floor to help the children with their presents or to play and this ended up with me going to my bedroom for a good cry where no one could see me.

“It didn’t stop me eating though. All the nibbles and Christmas treats were still there when everyone went home so I drank and ate all of it over the next few days - hating myself more and more. I couldn’t tell my husband what was wrong. I just wanted him to still 'fancy' me but how could he when I was so overweight? It had to stop. I came to realise that I was making myself unhappy and that only I could do something about it. So, on New Years Eve I made the decision to join my local Slimming World group.

“I was very worried about going to a group and what would happen. I really believed I shouldn’t need to go to a meeting to be able to lose weight - I didn’t really agree with 'paying to weigh'. I was also in a lot of pain and didn’t know how I was going to manage the evening physically. Now I realise it was the best decision I could have made. The support from the Consultant and the other members is fantastic. We really help each other and will each other on. I’ve made some brilliant friends and I don’t feel 'on my own' anymore.

"Food Optimising meals are so tasty and the whole family try everything I cook. I won't cook separately for anyone now - we all have the same. My children take pride in their healthy eating and help each week to choose the meals for the weekly plan I write and then make requests for the shopping list."

“Eating out is easy too. I choose before I go out what I’m going to eat - I’ve asked restaurants to post me their menus so that I can decide with confidence what to have and not 'blow it'. I always save my Healthy Extra

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choices on those days and try to eat plenty of Free Food so I can choose to go Original or Green when I’m out.  

“As I was losing weight my children had competitions to see if they could guess how much mummy would lose this week! I put my certificates on the fridge each time I got one and there’s been much excitement about how many stickers mummy has on her slimming book. It has brought us closer together - my daughter Becky took great delight in measuring my waist and other vital statistics. She told me not long ago that she 'likes how I feel now that she can wrap her arms right round me.'

“My husband has definitely appreciated my weight loss - I think he feels like he’s having an affair with another woman as I haven’t been this slim since we got married 12 years ago. The support from my family has shown me how much they care and this has brought us closer too.

“I feel fabulous now – I’m more confident in myself as a person and in what I wear and do. I feel I can hold my head up high and not try to disappear into the background. I’ve joined a gym and go 3 times a week, not worrying anymore whether people are staring at me wobbling about. As for my health – I’ve stopped having to use my asthma inhaler and my daily back pain has decreased significantly.

“One of the best things is that I’m able to join in with all the family activities such as swimming and baseball. I can also play games on the floor with the children - something that made me cry last Christmas when I couldn’t help them open their presents due to back pain and my large stomach. I now lie on their beds each evening to listen to them read - again something I couldn’t do before as lying down brought my wheezy chest on.

“I am really looking forward to this Christmas – it will be so different to last year’s miserable event. I have planned and tried out some Food Optimising nibbles that will be on offer at my house. At group we had a food tasting based on Christmas food and I got some really good ideas for Free dips and low-Syn ice cream, so I can’t wait to try them out. I know I have the support of my group between Christmas and New Year too. I am really looking forward to a happy Christmas!”

find out more

If you'd like to reveal the real you, find your nearest warm and friendly Slimming World group, where men and women are welcome.