Teacher Amy Hodgson from Liverpool, 24, gained weight after having up to five takeaways a week and said she had never felt more embarrassed than when she went to Blue Lagoon for New Year with her boyfriend. She says: “Visiting Iceland was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, but I felt like it’d been ruined because of how I felt about my weight. There’s only a handful of pictures of us there because I just didn’t want to be in front of the camera. I felt embarrassed to be in a swimsuit and that’s just not me at all - before I gained weight I was so confident and comfortable with myself. When we went to collect our robes I was handed an XXL - the same size as my boyfriend. When we got back we both decided that enough was enough and we had to do something about our weight.”
A phone call from her sister gave Amy just the motivation she needed. She says: “Shortly after we got home from Iceland my sister rang me and asked if I would join Slimming World with her. She wanted to lose her baby weight but didn’t want to go on her own. I decided to stop putting it off and just went for it. I’d tried so many diets in the past but they were all quick fixes - I knew if I wanted to get rid of the extra weight for good I had to make changes for life. Walking into group for the first time was a bit nerve-wracking, yet I soon realised there was nothing to be scared of. Everyone in group was so supporting and welcoming so I soon felt at home, and it was lovely to have the support of my sister too. When I stepped on the scales and realised what I weighed I did have a bit of an emotional wobble, but I knew that I was in the right place to achieve my dreams.”
Amy soon got to grips with Slimming World’s Food Optimising eating plan, which enables slimmers to lose weight while enjoying potatoes, pasta, rice, lean meat, fruit and vegetables. She says: “I’d been so used to trying to lose weight by restricting myself that at first I couldn’t believe how much I could eat! I’d been having four to five takeaways a week before joining Slimming World, so this new way of looking at food was a revelation. I went from barely cooking at all to being the chef of the house! My boyfriend didn’t come along to group with me, yet just by enjoying the same meals as me he has lost 2½ stone! It’s given our relationship a boost too because I feel like I’ve got the ‘old me’ back and we enjoy getting active together by going to the gym or taking the dog for long walks.”
And it’s not just Amy’s relationship which has felt the benefits of her weight loss. She says: “As a teacher I used to feel really self-conscious about my weight. Children just say whatever is in their minds. I remember one pupil once said I was ‘big like mummy’ and it crushed me. I knew he didn’t mean anything malicious by saying it - but it still hurt. I used to worry about job interviews too in case schools wondered if I’d be fit enough to teach PE. These days I’m brimming with confidence and I’ve stopped letting worries about my weight hold me back. I’m now striving to improve myself and putting myself forward for things I would never have dreamed of doing before. My long-term goal is to become a headteacher and help children to achieve their dreams.”
Amy’s health has also reaped the benefits of her recent weight loss. She says: “I have a skin condition called psoriasis which is exacerbated by stress and a poor diet. Since I joined Slimming World my psoriasis has reduced massively and I am not as dependent on my medication. When I was at my biggest I felt as though I had lost myself. I wasn’t the bubbly confident girl my friends and family knew and loved. Now I feel like I’m back to myself - and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
VITAL STATS:
Name: Amy Hodgson
Age: 24
Height: 5’4”/1.62m
Starting weight: 14st 12lbs/208lbs/94kg
Current weight: 9st 9bs/135lbs/61kg
Weight loss: 5st 3lbs/73lbs/33kg
Starting dress size: 16/18
Current dress size: 8/10
Date joined Slimming World: 8th January 2019
Before menu
Breakfast: Nothing
Lunch: A shop-bought sandwich with crisps and a bottle of coke
Dinner: Burger meal from a fast food restaurant or a takeaway kebab with chips
Evening: Chocolate, crisps, sweets
After menu
Breakfast: Weetabix with skimmed milk, a mug of coffee and a banana
Lunch: A large homemade salad with a bottle of water and some fresh fruit
Dinner: Pan-fried salmon with sweet chilli dressing, served with rice and vegetables
Evening: Slimming World hi-fibre cereal bar
For further information please contact Lucy Fisher in the Slimming World press office on 07833 684131 or email lucy.fisher@slimmingworld.co.uk