I was overjoyed when my lifelong friend asked me to be the best man at his wedding. I went out and bought a suit straight away and couldn’t wait for the big day. But then COVID hit, and I piled on the pounds because I was stuck at home. I knew I was putting on weight, but I didn’t realize how much until I tried on my best man suit and could barely fit into it. My first thought was to get the suit tailored, and I was told it would need altering two sizes bigger. I didn’t want to get comfortable as big as I was, so I decided to lose weight instead. My health also suffered because of my weight gain. I was diagnosed with chronic gout and found walking extremely difficult. I had terrible anxiety and hated being in photos, especially next to my slimmer friends. I had become obsessively self-conscious and paranoid, thinking everyone was judging me because of my appearance.
I confided in my friends about my plans to lose weight, and they recommended Slimming World. They had both lost weight through their diet plan and believed it would work for me. I didn’t hesitate to join. I had an amazing consultant called Lorna who taught me everything I needed to know about nutrition. I was amazed at how flexible their eating plan was because I could still eat foods such as pasta, rice, chicken, and meat without having to count calories or weigh my meals. A typical day of eating included:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon, and beans with wholemeal bread.
- Lunch: Chicken tikka lasagne
- Dinner: Chicken and salad
- Snacks: Low-fat yogurt, Freddo bar, a packet of chips
I lost 11lbs in my first week, and that was all the motivation I needed to continue. I also had a very supportive group of friends in the Slimming World community. It was comforting to know we were all going through the same thing, and we were always there when we needed each other. The first week of your weight loss journey is always the hardest because your body is adjusting to the changes. Most people usually give up within the first three days. Here are a few tips that helped keep me going.
- Fakeaways: A fakeaway is a homemade takeaway but a healthy version. I was used to ordering in on most nights, so this really helped.
- Stay connected: I had a weekly group session with my Slimming World comrades, and it helped me stay focused. If you don’t plan on joining Slimming World, make sure you have support from friends, family, or an online community.
- Explore recipes: Whatever route you take, make healthy eating interesting by exploring different recipes. Slimming World gave me a free cookbook, and it was spectacular.
I lost 70lbs, regained my health, and fit comfortably into the suit I bought to be the best man at my friend’s wedding. Weight loss is difficult, but it’s worth it. I’ll never let myself go like that again.
