A mum who lost a staggering seven stone said her own family didn't recognise her after her weight loss.
Jean Price, from Leasowe, Wirral, dropped seven dress sizes in just over a year - from a size 26 to a size 12, leaving her auntie unable to recognise her when she walked past her. The 53-year-old, who suffers from a lung condition called Bronchiectasis, turned to food for comfort while caring for her dad and struggling with her own health.
Things came to a head for Jean when she was diagnosed with type two diabetes shortly after her brother died from complications relating to the same condition.
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Jean said: “Having lost my brother to complications of type 2 diabetes when he was just 50 years old, it became vital to me and my family that I got my own diabetes and weight under control."
The mum-of-four said she'd "all the diets out there" and was even prescribed weight loss tablets by her doctor, but after losing weight she would put it all back on again and more.
Jean said: "I just couldn’t stick to them and was always hungry. I blamed inactivity due to my poor health and the daily prescription steroids I need to take and I pretty much gave up on myself.
"I eventually reached the point of being referred by my doctor for bariatric surgery."
After being put on a waiting list for weight loss surgery, Jean had a fall outside her own front door and couldn't get back up again. She said: "It was just the fact I was so overweight, I couldn't get back up and I said to my friend 'I can't do this anymore. I've got to do something.'
"She said 'I've been to Slimming World and I know it works, let's do it together' - and that's when it happened in June 2016."
Jean joined Slimming World with her friend and less than six months later, she'd lost nearly five stone and was able to turn down the weight loss surgery she'd originally been referred for.
The mum-of-four went on to lose 7st 7lbs in the space of 13 months and now runs her own Slimming World group on Saturday mornings at Moreton Community Centre.
Jean said: "Just before I got to target in July 2017, my dad was poorly in hospital and just before he passed away my auntie, who works in the hospital, walked past me and she didn't recognise me at all."
Since losing weight, Jean has gone on to do things she never dreamed of doing before, such as a skydive and dancing with the Tiger Lily Cabaret Fitness group. She is now helping others as a Slimming World consultant and wants people to know about the 12 week referral scheme, where you can receive group membership through your GP for free.
Jean said: "I know the difference Slimming World can make. It literally saved my life. Whether you've got a stone to lose, or like me, eight stone to lose, I know this is the healthiest way to do it because I've tried all different [diets], I really have.
"All the diets out there I've tried... and when you're cutting food out that's when you can't sustain it. With Slimming World you don't cut food out - it's a sustainable lifestyle change.
"The support everyone can have through Slimming World, I believe, is absolutely essential, it’s not just eating the right foods, during IMAGE therapy each week you also get help with the psychology of losing weight, which has been pivotal to my success."
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