Super slimmers who transformed their body during 2022 have shared their inspirational journeys to a healthier lifestyle.
Many people found themselves longing to shift the pounds this year after putting on weight during the pandemic. But as people returned to their busy lifestyles some found it difficult to focus on implementing healthier habits.
While some slimmers started their journey in 2022, others have found the motivation to continue their weight loss.
Read more: Blyth grandad who was unable to walk after stroke loses more than four stone
Losing weight can help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and a number of other health issues. And as the thoughts of many of us turn from festive indulgence to New Year's resolutions we've rounded up some of the most inspirational stories of 2022.
So say well done to our super slimmers!
Glyn Geach shed seven-and-a-half stone
Glyn Geach lost an incredible seven-and-a-half stone and said he was able to stop taking the asthma medication he once heavily relied on. Glyn, from Cramlington, said he found everything he did was becoming an "effort" and he felt sluggish, suffered regular heartburn and said his asthma made him feel "tired, lethargic and unhealthy".
But after attending a relative's funeral in February 2020, the 50-year-old decided that he had to do something about his weight. The engineer, who measured a 44-inch waist, shed eight inches off his waistline since joining Slimming World in February 2020, slimming to a 34-36 inch waist.
He also switched his diet, ditching the Chinese and Indian takeaways he previously ate two or three times each week, as well as drinking a bottle of wine most evenings. But he added that he eats more than he did before his weight loss journey, but has still managed to lose weight.
The dad-of-two said: "I feel great. I've got a lot more energy and I have stopped taking my asthma medication and also stopped taking my gout medication. I used to struggle every day with heartburn and I haven't had it in over six month now."
Jade Simmonds lost over seven stone
After becoming trapped in a cycle of unhealthy lifestyle habits, Jade Simmonds could no longer look at herself in the mirror and even turned her bedroom mirror to face the wall to avoid catching a glimpse of her 17 stone figure.
Behind her presumed outgoing personality, the 42-year-old's rollercoaster relationship with her fluctuating weight was causing her to become a shell of herself. After falling out of love with her job in social housing she found herself binging on Chinese takeaways of chicken balls and chips, or Indian takeaways with naan bread and poppadoms.
But soon after the country went into lockdown amid the Covid pandemic, Jade decided to seize the moment and change her life for the better. She had walked away from a job she hated, and now it was time for her to tackle her insecurities about her weight.
Jade signed up to Team RH's Life Plan and set her sights on dropping three dress sizes. And after 18 months of step counting and eating 2,600 calories per day, she exceeded her original target, slimming from a size 20 to a size 10.
Her incredible determination has inspired her lose a whopping 103lbs and she has also managed to overcome a previously diagnosed food phobia by learning about the value of nutrition and the effects it has on her body.
Jade said: "One of the best things to come out of this has been the ability to genuinely laugh and smile again - actually feeling true happiness from the inside out, without worrying if my belly is shaking or not.
"As a family, we make conscious choices to live sustainably. For example, we maintain healthy portion sizes and are more active.
"We're always adventuring together which is a sharp contrast to the life we led when I was overweight."
Sue Elder lost 5st 6lbs
After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Sue Elder often finds herself in excruciating pain.
The 67-year-old has found walking so painful she often has to use a wheelchair to get around. She is unable to stand for long periods and struggles to lift pans to cook.
This, combined with issues with her blood pressure, left Sue feeling down and depressed which led to less healthy choices to avoid standing to cook meals. As as result she regularly tucked into takeaway foods such as fish and chips, curries, pies, and pasties and with her limited mobility she quickly began to pile on the pounds.
But now she has lost an incredible 5st 6lbs and slimmed from a size 22 to a size 10 after deciding to take action to improve her health. After realising that a WW, formerly Weight Watchers, workshop had opened near her home, Sue decided to go along as she had heard of friends' successes.
Sue, from Penshaw, said: "Before I lost the weight I wouldn't even have my photo taken. The only picture I have of me before I lost weight is the one that they took when I joined WW.
"I felt so depressed and I was always in pain with my arthritis. It was so bad that I had to use a wheelchair."
She added: "The best thing now is being able to go into a shop and pick anything off the rails. Before I would struggle to find a size 22 and sometimes they wouldn't fit.
"When they did fit, I would cut the labels out of them to hide the size. I don't need to do that anymore."
Jill Rutherford shed eight stone
Weighing 20st 10lb at her heaviest, Jill Rutherford said she felt trapped, lethargic, unhappy and self conscious. On one occasion she managed to split the seam on a pair of size 24/26 trousers.
But she added that her most 'mortifying' experience of being overweight was when she got stuck in her seat on a flight from Newcastle to Dubai. She said that the seat was so tight throughout the long-haul flight that she ended up sustaining bruises from the journey.
Jill, from Choppington, tried to lose weight previously through Slimming World but had been unable to keep the weight off and slowly her unhealthy lifestyle habits would resurface. The 53-year-old said she had little structure to her eating pattern and on most days she wouldn't eat until early evening, by which time she would be so hungry she would grab anything.
But it was the day she was given a devastating breast cancer diagnosis that Jill said she realised her weight was killing her and she desperately needed to do something about it. She claims that at the time of her diagnosis she was dealt a second blow by being told her weight was to blame.
Jill said: "When I was diagnosed with breast cancer my oncologist told me my obesity and unhealthy lifestyle was a massive factor.
"He told me that after my treatment of a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy there was no guarantee it would not come back. But he did tell me if I continued on the same path I was on, he was sure that it probably would.
"He also told me because of my weight I had reached the ceiling height with the amount of chemotherapy I needed. All those factors was obviously enough to make me realise that my weight was actually killing me. If something like what I experienced isn't a wake up call then I don't no what is."
It was then that Jill decided to re-join Slimming World and try to do something about her weight. And now she said she feels 10 years younger after shedding 8st 3lb, slimming from a size 24/26 to a size 14.
Jill, who now weighs 12st 7lb, added: "Now I can run 5k... albeit slowly. I go to my local gym weight training three nights a week, I walk my son's puppy for miles - I honestly feel like there is nothing that I can't do."
Leanne Bell lost six stone
Feeling tired, sluggish and heavy as she headed towards her 40th birthday, Leanne Bell was determined to make a change. She was tired of having no confidence and "didn't feel sexy", adding that she would hide her size 22 figure under baggy trousers and big T-shirts.
But the mum-of-one who once used clothes to hide is today beaming with confidence after celebrating her 40th birthday in a stunning leopard print mini dress after shedding six stone and discovering a happier and healthier lifestyle.
Leanne, from Gateshead, said: "I felt as I moved towards being 40 that I wanted to make sure I was healthy and active and fit so that I'm going into my middle years both healthy but also comfortable in my own skin and able to do all the activities I'm interested in."
Leanne slimmed from a size 22 to a size 12-14 after joining Slimming World in October 2021. She explained that she has found the group to be very supportive and has now joined the social team, which has helped her get to know all the members and she loves sharing tips and advice.
She added: "I feel like I have overhauled my life and now I can live a more motivated and balanced lifestyle. I've learnt moderation."
Lyn Ross lost nine stone
Lyn Ross was a mother to a young son when she was told her life was at risk because she was so obese.
Having been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 29, by the time she reached her thirties the condition was starting to have an impact on her everyday life. She was tired, lethargic, suffered extreme thirst, struggled to heal from infections, and her legs and muscles ached all the time.
The 52-year-old, from Walker, who weighed 19st at her heaviest, recalled a number of occasions in her life when her weight impacted her lifestyle, including a time when she was "terrified" before a holiday to Spain with her friends because she thought she wouldn't be able to fit into her seat on the plane.
But today Lyn is on her biggest weight loss journey to date and has lost a huge nine stone, slimming from a size 30 to a size 14. It's a journey that started a number of years ago around the time she was told her life was at risk because she was so obese.
Lyn said: "Slimming World really has changed my life for the better. I couldn't have lost weight without it. The only thing I regret is that I didn't have the courage to step through the doors when I was younger and lost the weight then so I could have enjoyed all those magic moments with my son when he was a child."
Jess Robinson shed seven stone
Weighing 20st at her heaviest, Jess Robinson had become accustomed to a life where she felt tired, lazy and unfit. The 31-year-old would make up excuses to avoid going on nights out with friends and would shy away from photo opportunities with her son, Freddie.
It was in January this year when Jess said she realised that her weight had fluctuated to the biggest she had been, weighing 20st and wearing size 18-20 clothing. She decided then that she had to make changes to her life in order to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Motivated to achieve her goal, the mum-of-one joined Slimming World, as well as attending free women's fitness classes, DFE This Girl Can in Springwell twice a week. And now she explains that she has lost 7st 3lbs and slimmed to a size 12-14.
Dawn Lambert has lost 17 stone
Dawn Lambert weighed 26st 4lbs at her heaviest which exacerbated her health problems including asthma, blood clots in her legs and lungs, migraines, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She also suffered from the digestive condition diverticulitis, lipoedema which is a painful build-up of fat in her arms and legs, osteoarthritis, and a sluggish bowel meaning she was forced to take laxatives.
The 52-year-old also suffered a serious case of blood poisoning after surgery following an operation to repair her bowel and she now suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome following the surgery. However, after deciding to change her life, Dawn joined her local Slimming World group in 2007 and lost 9st by 2014.
But the determined gran went on to lose a further 8st, meaning she’s now lost an astounding 17st which amounts to two-thirds of her body weight. And now Dawn believes she wouldn’t have been alive today if she hadn't taken the plunge and joined the group.
Today Dawn has reached her target weight of 9st 4lbs, dropping from a dress size 36 to a size 10. She said: "I will always have to live with my conditions, though now I’m healthy weight, I can keep them under control with daily medications."
Dawn said: "I have two beautiful little granddaughters, Willow who is almost four and India who is almost two. There was a point in my life when I didn’t think I’d be around to meet them, let alone see them grow up. To know I’ve done everything I can to see that is a dream come true."
Alison Berry lost over 11 stone
Weighing 22 stone at her heaviest, Alison Berry said she used to cry herself to sleep at night worrying that her life would be "cut short" due to her health.
Having been overweight for her whole adult life, the 63-year-old, from Hebburn, was in denial that she had plenty of time to become healthier. She had become dependent on medication after being diagnosed with diverticulitis, a debilitating condition that was causing her to go to the toilet up to 40 times a day.
But her mindset soon changed after she suffered a bad flare up of her condition, which resulted in her being hospitalised. It came as a massive wake up call for Alison who suddenly felt that time really was running out.
Having tried "every diet under the sun to no avail", Alison joined Slimming World and started using products from The Skinny Food Co to stay within the lines of her new diet-plan. She has lost a whopping 11st 7lbs in 18 months and managed to come off the medication she had previously relied on.
Alison said: "I used to hide in the background and make fat jokes about myself, trying to beat others to the punchline - now I live life with a big smile on my face and enjoy every minute. I can't wait to watch my grandchildren grow up and be a huge part of both of their lives."
Ruby Lee shed six stone
Ruby Lee dropped the pounds after she was sent a picture of herself with her partner Tom Mackie, 39, and their twin boys. The 29-year-old, from High Heaton, Newcastle, was horrified by the image and decided she needed to make a change.
She started making home-cooked versions of her favourite fast food meals, including Chinese dishes and McDonald's, and posting pictures of them on her Instagram page. Ruby now has more than 29,000 followers and is being offered the chance to review meals at North East restaurants.
At her biggest, Ruby weighed 25 stone 12-and-a-half pounds and wore size 26-28 clothing. She said she piled on the weight without realising due to snacking all day while in the house alone with her twin boys. She said her self esteem was so low that she would avoid leaving the house with her children.
The mum-of-two said the photograph of her at her twin's birthday party gave her the motivation to join a Slimming World group at Paddy Freeman's Park with her nana in September 2020. She said that due to further Covid-19 lockdowns her journey hasn't been easy but she has continued to lose weight at a steady pace.
By May 2021, she had lost three stone and by October last year she had shed five stone. Last month, she received her six stone award.
Ruby now weights 19 stone 12-and-half-pounds and wears a size 18-20 clothing. Her overall aim is to lose between another five and six stone so she is a healthy weight for her height. She said she is already feeling the benefits of losing weight as she can now buy clothes without worrying whether they will fit.
She said: "I knew I needed to do something for the kids. I was keeping them in because I was self-conscious. Now I take them to the park myself now so it's definitely helped.
"I feel a lot less self-conscious now. It's great to be able to go out and not feel like people are looking at me. I'm able to go out with my partner and have a good night. Before I would say 'We're not going out'. Now I want to go out, go to town and go to restaurants.
"I'm being asked by other restaurants to go and review their food and post it on Instagram. I will check to make sure there is something healthy on the menu. I have changed my mind set now when I go out.
"I'm able to get up and down the stairs a lot more easily and I'm not out of breath. There's a lot less strain on my body."
Andy Gurr lost nine stone
Andy Gurr, 31, knew he had to make a drastic change after reaching the point where he struggled to walk up the stairs and was even diagnosed with sleep apnea - a serious condition that affected his breathing as he slept.
At his heaviest, the Blyth call centre worker weighed 25st and 6lb and was left feeling lethargic from a diet of takeaways and sugary snacks. But the turning point came in September 2017 when Andy spotted an advert for MAN v FAT Football on Facebook.
The group sees men who wanted to lose weight meet up weekly at the Newcastle United Foundation building, NUCASTLE, in Fenham to play 11-a-side football.
Starting out at a size 4XL in shirts with a 46-inch waist, Andy is now unrecognisable after shedding 9st 8lb. Now a size XL with a 36-inch waist, Andy said he feels so much fitter and can run around after his little boy.
Andy said MAN v FAT Football has been life-changing for him as he urged other men who want to lose weight to give it a go.
"It has changed my life," he said. "I think I was probably on my way to an early grave the way I was going. I was just getting bigger and bigger.
"It has massively changed my health as I have got rid of my sleep apnea. It has had a huge effect.
"I couldn't recommend MAN v FAT Football enough to lads who want to lose weight and play football."
Paige Elsender lost seven stone
Paige Elsender was frightened to go out alone or take part in social activities with friends for fear of being told she was "too big" when she weighed 23 stone 6.6lbs.
Even a trip to a pub beer garden would leave the 23-year-old feeling terrified that she would cause the wooden benches to break or tip when she sat on them.
The turning point came in January 2020 when Paige decided to join the Slimming World group at West Allotment Community Centre in Shiremoor. Starting out as a size 28, Paige overhauled her diet and lifestyle, swapping boozy nights out and takeaways for homemade meals and even taking up ice skating.
But when the pandemic hit the country in March, she was left wondering whether she could continue losing weight. Paige has lost an incredible 7st 2lb and is now a size 14, weighing 16st 5lb.
But it doesn't end there, as she plans on continuing to lose weight with the group as we begin the New Year. "Being slimmer, I’m a lot more confident," she said.
"I’m so much happier, I feel free and I don’t feel scared to do 'normal' things anymore."
She continued: "Slimming World is the best thing I have ever done. Not just for my physical health but for my mental health as well.
"I suffer from bad anxiety and depression, which takes a toll on my day-to-day life, but since losing weight, I’ve gained more confidence to tackle some of the things that make me anxious, such as going out alone. I can go into town on my own now, I can get on public transport and I’m able to talk to people."
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