Co Antrim woman Nicola Jones was absolutely delighted when in September 2020, her best friend told her she was getting married.
But when that same friend told Nicola she wanted her to be her bridesmaid, panic set in.
Nicola, 53, and from Kells admits that at the time, she didn't like the reflection staring back at her in the mirror.
Read more: NI couple 'happier, healthier and excited for their future' after shedding 10st
She said: “While I was overjoyed that my friend was getting married, I just knew that every time I looked in the mirror, I hated what I saw. I had gained weight and gained more in lockdown and I just knew that I wouldn’t be comfortable getting photos taken.
“Standing in my size 26 clothes beside my size 12 friend that really was the final straw that made me want to go along to a Slimming World group. Over the years I had tried it before and this time I thought 'I will go and really stick with it'.”
Nicola added: “I was so nervous walking into the group that evening, but I shouldn’t have been because instantly the consultant was standing at the door waiting on me. She brought me over to the new members area and from the very first moment I got there, she put me at ease.
“Even when I kept telling her that I had never lost any more than 3 stone before but really wanted to lose 6 stone, she simply said, 'I understand, but that was in the past, this is the here and now and together with the group and my support, you will achieve that'.
“I went over into IMAGE therapy – Slimming World's unique system that stands for Individual Motivation And Group Experience and the consultant introduced me to a few of the ladies and gents sitting around me and I felt at home straight away!”
When it came to food, Nicola was delighted to hear that she could still enjoy her favourite meals like chilli con carne, but when done the Slimming World way, she would still be able to lose weight.
She added: ”The group gave great ideas when it came to takeaways too, I had been having 3-4 takeaways a week and although I knew that this would have to change, I was thrilled to know that I could make all these types of food with recipes from the Slimming World app, support of group and the closed Facebook page for members only.
”Class was so much fun and such a giggle and I felt so motivated. At the end when I was getting weighed by the consultant, I was brave enough to set a goal for one stone weight loss for my first achievement.”
Nicola went home and spoke to her family and said that this was something she was really going to embrace.
She explained: ”I also had problems with arthritis and my joints were so sore that I'd known that even walking the dog had started to become more difficult.
“But inspired from the night before in group with other members talking about doing 'body magic', I decided I was going to try to get out a little more.
“It used to take me 30 minutes to go such a short distance with the dog. In the early days it was such a struggle to motivate myself to even go when I had pains in my knees, but I thought nope, 'I'm doing this' and as each week went past and every pound of weight lost, it got easier and easier.”
Nicola went to group the following week nervously expecting to see maybe a 2-3lb weight loss so she couldn’t believe that she had been eating so well that she had lost 6.5lb!
That was encouragement enough to keep her going, week after week never missing a group meeting. Nicola was there building her friendships with other members and her recipe folder while also gaining awards for losing weight.
And then another milestone was met as she explains: “I was heading away on a trip with work and it was the first time I was flying since losing weight. The previous time had been so awful as I had to ask for the extender belt on the plane as the seat belt wouldn’t fit me.
“I was really still nervous and had such anxiety about this happening again. I went on the plane … without the extender belt having lost 4st so I couldn’t wait to come back to group to celebrate a non scale victory with my fellow members.”
To date Nicola is now 6st lighter and a massive part not only of group but the social team in the group. She helps other members each week and there’s no stopping her now!
“I now have belief in myself and I know I can achieve my target weight of 8st because each week I am motivated by my fellow members and I see them achieve their goals. On the weeks where someone has struggled, we are all there together for them because we can empathise having been there ourselves.
“There really is no better feeling than being part of a Slimming World group. My consultant always says 'group is where the magic happens' and I didn’t really know what that meant until I became part of the group.
“Magic happens in me and our group every week when we come away motivated, inspired and more importantly supported for the week ahead. I want to thank my fellow members and Slimming World for bringing me back to my happy and healthier self.”
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