Sophie Bailey, 27 

We’re delighted to announce the winners of our first ever Two Together competition, Sam Wilmot and Sophie Bailey. Sam and Sophie now have a double cause for celebration, with Sam popping the question to Sophie shortly after their win! 

Sam, who’s lost 8st (50kg) since January 2023, says: ‘Since we lost weight we’ve had more confidence, and we’re fitter and healthier than ever. Getting married is something we might have thought twice about before, because we’d have shied away from the attention – but now we can’t wait to celebrate on our big day.’ 

Sophie has lost 5st (32kg). She says: ‘I’ve always been quite athletic, so even though my eating habits weren’t the best, I think I managed to avoid being overweight because I was pretty active. That was until I got injured and couldn’t play sport any more. The injury, coupled with a sedentary office job, meant the pounds soon piled on. Being in a new relationship with Sam meant we were eating out all the time, too. Eventually it got to a stage where we were both unhappy with our weight.’ 

Sam adds: ‘Unlike Sophie, I’d been overweight for most of my life – in fact, when I was younger, a scan revealed I had curved shin bones because of my obesity. A love of sport was something Sophie and I bonded over when we first met, but my weight was really holding me back from taking part. I became more of a spectator.  

‘The final straw came at Christmas 2022. As with all family occasions, the camera soon came out – only this time we were really shocked by the photos. We hardly recognised ourselves. My mum and dad had recently joined a Slimming World group, thanks to the encouragement of my Auntie Julia, and they were raving about how good the food was and how friendly the other members were. So, in the January, we decided to take the plunge and join too.’ 

Despite feeling a bit apprehensive, Sophie and Sam went along to their local group. Sophie remembers: ‘Having Sam’s mum and dad there for support was a huge bonus but, looking back, I think we’d have been OK on our own. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly, and the Food Optimising eating plan was nothing like we were expecting. We’re both big foodies, so we loved adapting some of our favourite meals, like spicy meatball pasta and Korean beef noodles, to make them slimming-friendly.’ 

Find your nearest group

Discover how Slimming World will support you to get active

Sophie says: ‘I love playing football, but a back injury meant I hadn’t played for a while – and I suspect the added weight was making it worse. Now that I feel so much fitter and healthier, I’ve started playing for a local team again, which I love. Sam has also got back into football by becoming a level 4 referee. I’m so proud of everything he has achieved. Thankfully, though, he’s only reffed at one of my games. It didn’t end well – he tried to send me off!’  

Now that Sam and Sophie have both reached their target weights, their new goal is to maintain the weight they worked so hard to achieve. Sam says: ‘We can have a few more treats here and there – it’s all about balance for us. We know that we’ve got the tools we need to stay slim for life, thanks to Slimming World. 

For now, we’re busy planning our wedding, and we feel so excited about our future together. We’ve always made each other happy, but now it’s like we have a whole new take on life. There’s no way I could have achieved this without Sophie’s support. We make a great team – and I can’t wait to call her my wife!’ 

*Two Together can be a couple, two friends, family members or any two slimmers who attend the same group and have been on their weight loss journey together.

Discover two great ways to lose weight

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