At more than 20st, working my 12½ hour shifts as a hospital nurse was such a struggle – I’d be exhausted, with agonising back ache, by the end of them.
My weight affected my family life, too. My children – Jax, seven, and Grayson, five – always used to ask if I’d take them on fairground rides, but I was too worried that I wouldn’t fit in the seats. I’ll never forget one holiday when I was too big to go on a water slide with the boys. I was so embarrassed, and I could see their disappointed little faces. It was heartbreaking.
The turning point
Then, on a night out with my friends, I was running to the car when I fell over and broke my leg. I had to have surgery and I was off my feet for months. I couldn’t do very much at all, and my partner, Anthony, did all the household jobs. It took almost a year to get moving again properly, and by that time I’d put on a lot of weight.
I so desperately wanted to lose the weight I’d gained, and when I looked into the options, I came across all sorts of quick fixes and weight loss drugs. While they work for some people, I was worried about how they might affect my health. Plus, I’ve always loved food and sharing meals with my family, so I didn’t want to change my appetite.
My mum, Sharon, knew how I was feeling and suggested we join Slimming World together. If she hadn’t brought it up, I probably wouldn’t have joined – and life would be so different! The accountability and support of my weekly group is so important and I felt so welcomed there, right from the start. I soaked up fresh ideas and support from other people who ‘got it’, which helped me to tackle any challenges and kept my commitment strong. You don’t realise how well you’re doing until people say so, and with the encouragement of the other members and my Consultant, I was able to stay on track week after week.
No need for separate meals
I make healthier versions of all my favourite dishes – and I’ve made swaps like buying lean meat and cooking without oil. It’s been easy to adapt our family meals so we can all eat the same thing. Our favourite dinner is a Food Optimising chilli – we all love it, especially the boys!
Our weekly highlight was always our Friday night takeaway with all the family. We still enjoy these nights, but now we whip up a delicious fakeaway instead – our favourite is a chicken kebab with Slimming World chips.
Anthony has lost 2st just by eating the same meals as me. My mum, who only joined me for support, went on to lose 2st. When my sister Charlotte saw the plan working for us, she joined our group, too, and now she’s lost 4st. It’s a real ripple effect, and we love swapping recipes and cooking together.
Socialising’s on the menu
I can still go out with my friends at the weekend – I just make sure I prep a Slimming World chicken burger beforehand, ready for when I get in, so I’m not tempted to stop off at the kebab shop on the way home. I’ve also learnt to switch my mindset to understand that even if I do go a bit off track on a night out, it doesn’t write off the rest of the week. I draw a line under it and get back on track the next day.
Hearing other group members talking about Body Magic, I realised I could start getting active at my own pace – which gave me the confidence to give it a go. I built up gradually by increasing how far I walked, and I’m now a regular at the gym. I recently completed a 25K swimming challenge for Cancer Research UK, raising almost £400.
We’ll help you get active (in a way that works for you!) with our physical activity support programme
Dropping from a size 22 to a 12 has made life so much easier. I don’t get breathless when I walk up two flights of stairs like I used to, and I’m not exhausted when I get home after a shift. We recently went on holiday to Menorca and I made sure I went on every water slide with the boys – Jax was so chuffed and I had so much fun! There’s no going back for me now.
A study of UK adults* shows that Kim isn’t alone in feeling wary about weight loss drugs. Despite the drugs being more easily available, 69% of adults surveyed say they’d be unlikely to take them. A quarter of those say it’s because they don’t want to change the way they eat, drink and socialise; 21% worry they wouldn’t be getting the nutrition they need for good health, and 20% say they love their food too much.
Carolyn Pallister, a registered dietitian and Slimming World’s head of nutrition, research and health, says: ‘There’s nothing quite like sharing a meal with friends and family, and for many of us, life just wouldn’t be the same without it. Sitting down to eat with others creates connections and builds relationships – that’s why food is at the centre of so many big events in our lives.
‘The great news is, despite what people may fear, losing weight doesn’t have to mean giving up that joy. When you’re desperate to lose weight, it can be tempting to chase quick fixes like weight loss injections, pills, surgery, or a restrictive or fad diet – anything that promises instant results. These might involve suppressing your appetite, depriving yourself, or not being able to eat with others because your diet is so different. But the truth is, there’s no silver bullet. Lasting weight loss comes from sustainable changes to our food, physical activity, and mindset.’
Kim’s day on a plate
Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
Breakfast | Sugary cereal breakfast bar, followed by mid-morning custard creams. | Fruit and fat-free natural yogurt. |
Lunch | Shop-brought triple sandwich, a bag of crisps and a chocolate bar. | Steamed fish, rice and vegetables. |
Dinner | Lasagne with garlic bread and oven chips, and a Chinese takeaway every Friday and Saturday. | Chicken skewers, jacket potato and salad. |
Snacks and drinks | To eat: Biscuits. To drink: 2 litres of low-calorie cola every day, tea with two sugars, white wine, beer. | To eat: Two Hi-fi bars, a small chocolate bar, fruit. To drink: A couple of cans of low-calorie cola, no-added-sugar juice, tea with sweetener, a glass of white wine. |
*Data relates to a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults surveyed between 21st and 24th March 2025 by OnePoll.
Weight loss will vary due to your individual circumstances and how much weight you have to lose.