I only found Slimming World literally when I googled it. I found out where my closest one was – just a 10-minute walk from my house. Two days later I just walked through the door. I took a big deep breath, opened the door and went in. I had done it before, back on the old plan when it was very confusing, but I wasn’t prepared to do that again. I walked in and met my amazing consultant Gemma, who’s now one of my best friends. It was the moment when she said I could eat pasta, that I knew I was onto a winner, because I love pasta. My favourite dish is a Carbonara, in fact my final meal before going to Slimming World on that Tuesday, was a Carbonara, because I was thinking ‘I won’t be able to have this again’. To discover that I could still eat burgers and chips that I make myself, was mind-blowing and I could remember thinking it could never work. My first week I ate more than I’d ever eaten in my life. We had lasagnes and burgers and it was just incredible, and I said to my consultant the first week, ‘I’ve done nothing but eat all week’. She smiled and said “Good.’ I weighed myself and had lost 6.5 pounds in the first week.
Before and After
The reason for that was cooking with the right ingredients, zero fat and completely cutting down on the amount of sugar. The beauty of Slimming World is that nothing is restricted, you can have a little bit of what you fancy. Like with a Carbonara you take out the cream and cook the proper Italian way by whisking up an egg and parmesan that are carefully measured out – that’s the perfect Carbonara – with some additional lean bacon and mushrooms. I like to throw in courgettes as well – its divine. You would never know that it was ‘diet food’ as people call it.
I lost 6.5 stone in 52 weeks exactly, so on the 1st anniversary of joining the group I hit my original target. I then sat at target for a couple of years then I lowered it and lost 7 stone in total and kept it off for 3 years. At my last weigh- in I was 9 stone 10 pounds.
Slimming World has made a huge difference to me personally. I have real confidence now, not a false confidence. I run a lot and quite a distance. My husband always asks how long will I be when I go out for a run and I say I don’t know. I’ve run from my house in Farncombe, to my in-laws’ house in Cranleigh, along the railway track which is 17km.
I am part of my children’s life now. When we go to soft plays, I don’t sit on the edge I go down the slide with them.
It is amazing how I have changed my lifestyle, this is the first time I fitted into a size 8 after starting at a size 20.
You can do it too!
Vikki Mangan-Rose
Mum, Wife and Entrepreneur
