Mansfield slimmers lost a whopping 6,700 stones with Slimming World in 2019 - here's their stories

The members, who attend groups across Mansfield every week, follow Slimming World’s eating plans, which encourage them to fill up on satisfying foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat and fish, pulses and fruit and veg.

Having celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, the Alfreton-based group is now celebrating some of its Mansfield members as they smash their own personal weightloss targets.

One of the organisation’s biggest local success stories is Katy Poxon, who has shed more than five stones since she joined two years ago.

Katy says her weight was “up and down” following the birth of her first daughter, having even lost three stones in the run-up to marrying her husband Kev.

But she says that she was “back to where I started” following the birth of her second daughter, when she knew she “had to do something” – joining Slimming World in January 2018.

Now she is “feeling more energetic” and feels “like I love myself again”.

Katy, who was named a 'Diamond Slimmer’, said: “I had seen friends and family losing weight and looking fantastic, and here I was still looking like the same old Katy.

“I had thought about Slimming World for some time and knew that you could still eat nice things whilst losing weight.

“Now I'm loving the foods, loving life and feeling happy and like the old me again! Trying on new clothes, feeling more energetic and active for my girls.

“My husband and my oldest daughter always comment on how lovely I look. Slimming World has changed my life and I feel like I love myself again.”

Another of the organisation’s ‘Diamond’ slimmers is Briony Teasel, who has maintained her target weight for the last 12 months and has even gone on to work at Slimming World’s head office in Alfreton.

Briony says losing weight through the organisation has made her become a “much nicer person”, who is “truly content with myself”.

She said: “Slimming World has changed my life in so many ways, all for the better.

“Weight loss, increased confidence, a new wardrobe, a better social life, confidence in my relationship, I've gained cooking skills and now I've got a dream job too working at Slimming World’s head office.

“The best thing that's happened to me throughout all of this is that I’ve become a much nicer person.

“When you have so much hatred for yourself and your own body, it's really hard to feel positive about anything else at all.

“I used to feel jealous of my friends and their confidence rather than being happy for them. I was so wrapped up myself and how I felt that I couldn't support my friends and help them when they needed me.

“Now I'm truly content with myself thanks to losing weight, I've come to learn about who I am as a person and I feel much more able to put others first."

Another of the organisation’s proud success stories is Sharon Davey, who joined her Slimming World group one year ago this month and successfully lost three-and-a-half stones – reaching her target weight twice.

Before joining Slimming World, Sharon was diabetic, had high blood pressure, had liver problems and sleep apnoea.

But by losing the weight, she has managed to completely reverse her type-2 diabetes, was fit enough to have a hip replacement and feels “much healthier”.

She added: “Joining Slimming World was the best thing I have done and I am so proud of myself. I still get to enjoy a drink and eat lots of delicious food.”

A spokesman for Slimming World Mansfield added: “We are delighted that our members have lost weight so beautifully.

“We have supported 604 members to reach their dream personal achievement target in 2019 across Mansfield and the surrounding communities.

“This has made a big difference to their lives and to their whole families’ lives, and all of them are happier and healthier now.

“Slimming has never been more important. There are 68 per cent overweight and obese people in Mansfield and we just want to help even more people to make real changes for life – there’s no better job satisfaction than that.”

To join your local group, visit slimmingworld.co.uk.