Miss Slinky from Cornwall lost seven stone on Slimming World

Leanne Hemming, 40, decided to join her local Slimming World group after attending a beach party for her aunt’s 60th birthday party in West Cornwall.

She said: “When I was at my heaviest I constantly felt tired – even standing up was hard work. I tried to enjoy myself at the party, but I felt so self-conscious and soon realised I was the only one sitting down – everyone else was dancing and having fun.

“My two boys were only young, and I felt as though I was missing out. I’d wanted to be a mother for so long and yet here I was too unfit to run around after them on the beach or get down on the floor to build sandcastles without struggling for breath.”

Leanne before weight loss (Image: Leanne Hemming)

Leanne, who lives with her husband James and sons Hugo and Elliott aged nine and 11 in Canonstown, near St Erth, decided to join Slimming World soon after the beach party.

She joined Susie Tait’s group in Crowan weighing 18 stone 2 pounds and is now 10 stone 9 pounds, going from a dress size 24 to a size 8.

“Around that time my cousin had lost two stone at Slimming World and said she felt amazing. I thought to myself, ‘maybe I could do that too’ – it felt like the right time to put myself first,” she said.

“I’d struggled with my weight during my teenage years – although things did get better as I became an adult.

“My children were much longed for so being a mother soon took priority over everything else and my weight and health suffered as a result. I’d started to feel as though I was letting the boys down though and I couldn’t allow that to happen.”

Leanne before joining Slimming World (Image: Leanne Hemming)

Although she initially felt embarrassed about the idea of joining a Slimming World group, Leanne soon discovered that the support and guidance she received from those around her was fundamental to her success.

She says: “There was a voice in the back of my head saying ‘you’ll never stick to it’ but I tried my best to silence it – and the group helped hugely with that.

“I’d never really attempted to lose weight before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I left my first session feeling so motivated and ready for the challenge.”

Leanne soon began to enjoy Slimming World’s healthy eating plan and built healthier habits around food.

Her husband James has also lost four and a half stone, just by eating the same meals she’s made.

Leanne has dropped eight dress sizes (Image: Slimming World)

She added: “I was totally inactive before I lost weight – the idea of exerting myself or being out of breath was my worst nightmare. I live in a beautiful part of the country though, right near the coast, so I started making the most of it by going on lovely walks.

“As I became more confident, I joined the gym and now love the feeling I get afterwards.

“I gradually built this up until I was able to exercise four to five times a week – it’s just a part of my routine.

“I think as I started to love and respect my body more, I realised I wanted to treat it the best way that I could.”

She concluded: “Of course, fitting into smaller clothes and feeling confident in myself is a huge bonus, though the most important change for me is that I’m now the mum I always wanted to be.

“Days of sitting on the sidelines are over – if there’s a party these days, I’m the first one out of my chair!”

Leanne after her weight loss (Image: Slimming World)

Before menu

Breakfast: Four slices of thick white toast, spread with butter

Lunch: Cheese and onion sandwich on thick white bread with a packet of crisps

Dinner: A Chinese takeaway or a pizza

Snacks: Crisps, crumpets spread with butter

After menu

Breakfast: Granola and fat-free natural yoghurt with a banana

Lunch: Homemade pasta salad, fresh fruit, a Slimming World Hi Fi bar

Dinner: Slimming World chips, veggie sausages, baked beans, mushy peas

Evening: Fat-free natural yoghurt, fresh fruit