If you’re planning on putting your feet up this Easter weekend, we’ve got a treat for you – three extra-special slimming stories. Many of our members are inspired to lose weight after seeing a photo where they looked bigger than they’d imagined – and while those pictures can be heartbreaking at the time, they can also provide a powerful motivational boost when you’re slimming.
To show you how, we asked three of our members to share the pics that inspired them to join Slimming World, and reveal the life-changing transformations that followed…
MORE ON THE BLOG: Flick through Erika’s 5½st weight loss photo diary
“A summer barbie fired up my weight loss motivation”
I still remember the photo – taken at a barbecue in 2010 – that made me realise I wanted to lose weight. I’d been living on convenience food like pizza at university and I’d gradually got bigger and bigger.
When I joined Slimming World with my mum, I found a new, healthy way of cooking dishes that I loved. I’d take overnight oats to work with me for breakfast, have a home-made BLT salad at lunchtime, and dinner could be anything from a chicken curry or a cheeseburger pasta bake to burger and chips!
Once I’d got to my target of 9st 7lbs, I headed straight to Topshop to buy a pair of jeans. For the first time in years, I fitted into a size 10 – it felt so incredible, I had to pinch myself!
– Faye Underwood, 34, lost 2st 8lbs.
READ THE FULL STORY: Fay lost 2st in six months – and now she’s a mum!
“The showroom snap that drove me to lose 5st 1½lbs”
I’d struggled with my weight since I was a child. After I met my wife, Amanda, we settled into a routine of enjoying indulgent meals and cosy takeaways together, and my weight continued to climb.
The turning point came when Amanda and I went to buy a new car. We had a photo taken at the garage to celebrate and, when I saw it, I was gutted. I could see I was at my biggest weight yet. Amanda was already planning to join her local Slimming World group to lose some baby weight, so I decided to bite the bullet and go along, too.
Joining a group made everything click for me and that was partly because of the other members – they were so supportive. As I got slimmer, I noticed a big change in my family life. At my heaviest, I was becoming the sort of dad who was constantly tired or too out of breath to play with my three kids… Now, I have the energy to keep up with them and I couldn’t be happier about that.
– Ross Hebden, 36, lost 5st 8lbs
READ THE FULL STORY: How Ross raised his game at home – and on the American Football gridiron
“I lost 2st 5lbs – and felt great posing for my wedding pics”
One night, while on holiday in Spain, my friend, Cassie, asked me to have a photo taken with her and I reluctantly agreed. When she showed me it, my heart sank. While Cassie looked relaxed, smiling confidently, I was hunched over to hide my shape and grimacing.
Seeing that photo brought my worries about my weight into sharp focus. My wedding was less than a year away and I desperately wanted to feel happy and confident on my big day, so I joined Slimming World with my mother-in-law.
I got to my target weight of 9st 7lbs the day before I tied the knot. The day itself was beautiful, celebrating our love with family and friends. Whenever I look through our wedding photo album, my heart fills with pride and, best of all, I feel like me again!
– Danielle Kelly, 29, lost 2st 11½lbs
READ THE FULL STORY: How Danielle gave herself the perfect wedding gift
Slimming World members can access over 200 inspiring real-life success stories on our exclusive member website – and that’s on top of all the slimming celebrations, tips and recipe swapping and expert weight loss advice you’ll find in our local groups (currently running virtually) and in our online Community.