A Dalbeattie woman has turned her health around by losing more than 4.5 stones with Slimming World and now she wants to share her success with others by relaunching the Dalbeattie Slimming World group which meets at 5:30pm on Thursdays at the Parish Church Hall.
Fiona Neilson had been overweight for most of her adult life when she was diagnosed with heart failure in 2018 and she decided that the time had come to do something about it.
Fiona says “I knew that if I didn’t do something now, I wouldn’t have much longer to live. My health was so poor that just walking about the house left me breathless so I decided to try to lose weight on my own by counting calories. It did work for a short time and then I’d get stuck and give up. It’s really demoralising when you try to lose weight on your own. Counting calories meant that I was denying myself any pleasure and it wasn’t long before I lost motivation.”
“Then, my friend told me that she was going to join Slimming World and before I knew it, I said that I would go along too. I was apprehensive when I walked through the door & part of me didn’t believe that it would make any difference to my weight loss, but I received a warm welcome from the Consultant and all the other members of the group. The Slimming World Food Optimising plan means that no food is off the menu, and I couldn’t believe that I could eat meals such as a full cooked breakfast, fish & chips and even pizza and still lose weight, but after the first week to my astonishment I had lost 5lbs. After eating so little for so long I knew that I had, at last, found a plan that I could follow without ever feeling hungry or deprived.”
“The encouragement I have received from my fellow members has been incredible and I love that I can celebrate their successes along with mine. I stay to Image Therapy each week, where we discuss with our Consultant many of the issues that affect weight loss, and it gives me lots of ideas about how to cope on more difficult days and encourages me to keep focused on my goals.”
“My BMI has now dropped from over 50 to less than 30 and my heart health has really improved. I always try to add some Body Magic activity into my daily routine. Even a simple walk with the dog, which was impossible before, counts towards my progress. I still have a few pounds to lose to reach my personal target, but I know that it won’t be long before I get there.””
Fiona, who has gone from a size 28 to a size 14, is so delighted to finally be slim that she has trained as a Consultant for Slimming World, the UK’s largest group-based weight loss organisation, at their national training academy in Derbyshire and she will be running her own group at Dalbeattie Parish Church Hall at 5:30pm every Thursday.
She says “joining Slimming World was the lifeline I needed, and I never dreamed that I would end up helping other people to lose weight but now I just can’t wait to get started.”
“After losing 4.5 stones and completing my training, it’s a privilege for me to be able to pass on the experience, insight and understanding that helped me, so that I can give my members the support they need to get to target.”
The latest government figures reveal that around one in four adults are obese and it is estimated that, by 2034, this will increase to one in three. 60% of the population of Scotland is now overweight or obese, and Fiona says her new role has never been more important and that she looks forward to welcoming lots of new & old members to her group in Dalbeattie from 8th September onwards.
“Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. As someone who has lost weight myself, I know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with the group, I will be there to support every one of my members all the way to their chosen target weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important to a successful slimming journey.”
“That’s why, at my Slimming World group, there’ll be tons of support, encouragement, and fun.”.
Like Fiona Slimming World Consultants are all former members who have lost weight at their local group themselves and groups are set up as micro businesses in the heart of local communities. There are currently around 4,000 Slimming World Consultants across the UK and Ireland running 15,000 groups. Consultants receive training in Slimming World’s healthy eating and physical activity programmes and learn how to use the power of group support to empower members to take control of their own weight loss journey. As self-employed microentrepreneurs, Consultants also learn how to build a successful community-based business.
Nina Cloy, who runs Slimming World’s Castle Douglas group and manages Fiona as a Team Developer, says: “Slimming World Consultants are chosen for their positive outlook and because they genuinely care about the health and happiness of others. With Fiona’s experience of being a successful Slimming World member and her kind and warm personality and great sense of humour I just know that she’ll be an amazing support to members, cheering them all the way to their target weight.”
Fiona’s Slimming World group will be held at Dalbeattie Parish Church Hall every Thursday at 5:30pm from 8 th September. For more information or to join Fiona’s group either pop along on 8 th September, call/text her on 07359 446754 or email [email protected].
