It seemed everyone around me was going to Slimming World and doing really well. My mum and my wife, Marie-Anne, were both members and loving it. Our fridge was full of fresh fruit and vegetables, and healthy and delicious meals were always on the menu. It was hard to believe that you could eat such tasty food and still lose weight!

I hadn’t really thought about joining Slimming World for myself. Then I got chatting to a friend who I played ice hockey with. I’d noticed that he’d recently lost weight and, as a result, he was much faster on the ice. It turned out that he’d also joined a Slimming World group – and he went on to tell me how much he was enjoying the changes he’d made, and how supportive and welcoming everyone at his group had been. I was sold!

I’d been looking for a way to feel fitter and healthier, and Slimming World was something I could do with Marie-Anne, while setting a brilliant example for our two children at the same time. That same week, I joined a group. It might sound strange, but I wasn’t nervous at all. I think it was because everyone had already reassured me about how friendly the Consultant and the other members would be – and they were right.

I left group excited about the new family recipes Marie-Anne and I were going to make together, and knowing that I could still eat my favourite dishes, like chicken korma, just with a few small tweaks. Slimming World isn’t a diet, it’s a lifestyle change, and swapping processed foods for our new menu of healthy family meals made with fresh ingredients left me feeling fantastic. As I started to lose weight, I found I had bags more energy, and before I knew it, I needed a new work uniform in a smaller size!

I love chatting with the other members each week about the new family recipes we’ve tried and swapping tips for the week ahead – my slow-cooker chilli and chilli lasagne are famous in my group!

Before their mum and dad joined Slimming World, both of our children were fussy eaters. Now they’re seeing us buying fresh foods, deciding what to cook and making healthy family meals from scratch. This healthier way of eating has become normal for them too, and they’re enjoying dishes we never thought to encourage them to try before. We’ve also become more active as a family. We go swimming a few times a week and love getting out in the fresh air. We’re all loving our fitter, healthier family life – and it’s thanks to Slimming World!

At Slimming World, we know that family life is busy enough without having to make two or three different meals every dinnertime. That’s why you’ll find hundreds of family recipes in our collection – including snacks and desserts – so you can cut your cooking time and sit down to healthy family meals together.