I’d been overweight since I was a teenager and spent 20 years feeling as though I was constantly on a diet – especially after having my two daughters. I never seemed to lose much weight though; I was just hungry and miserable.

I joined Slimming World and reached my target weight after losing 5st 4lbs. I even appeared as a success story in Slimming World magazine. However, that wasn’t the end of my journey.

My big mistake was that I stopped going to group once I’d reached my target weight. Sadly, I steadily regained all of the weight I’d lost and it wasn’t until my daughter told me that she needed a kidney transplant that I had a wake-up call – I knew I needed to be fit and healthy again so that I could be there for her.

Back to basics

It seemed harder to walk into group the second time as I felt as though I’d failed. I should have known better, though – I was welcomed back with open arms and I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Even the second time round, I still found it hard to believe that you could eat to satisfy your appetite and have your treats and still lose weight. But while it seems too good to be true, I knew it worked because I’d already done it once.

My group is like a family to me and I go every week, even though I’ve been at target for years now. I love that as a target member I can help others who want to lose weight. Many of them have only ever known me slim, which is a bit of a strange feeling. We swap hints, tips and recipes and share in the highs and lows, which is just what you need to stay on track.

When I was a size 22 I found it hard to find nice clothes that fitted. Now I can go into any shop I like and wear clothes I never would have dared to wear when I was younger. I’m funky and fit at 67 and I absolutely love it!

*Weight loss will vary due to your individual circumstances and how much weight you have to lose.