\u201cI began struggling with my weight when I was 18 and moved to America to be an au pair. The different foods, surroundings and culture saw the pounds go on quite quickly. Fourteen months later, I returned home and met my future husband. I had an active social life and was very content, so didn\u2019t pay much attention to my weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We got married in 2000, and I knew at the time that I wasn\u2019t truly happy. It was a beautiful day, but I couldn\u2019t help feeling disappointed that I hadn\u2019t lost any weight beforehand. I had my two boys in 2004 and 2006, and putting on more weight left me feeling very self-conscious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My turning point was shortly after attending a black-tie event and going on a family holiday. I looked back at the pictures, and they broke my heart. The happy memories we made were suddenly dampened by how sad it made me to look at the photos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I never had any health issues, I knew that the pain I often had in my knees was likely linked to my weight. I desperately wanted to lead an active and healthy life for my boys, and I knew I had to take control of my weight to make this happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I joined my local Slimming World group<\/a> and it was immediately clear that it was a huge step in the right direction. Everybody was so lovely and welcoming \u2013 they all wanted me to succeed. My Consultant explained the Food Optimising eating plan<\/a>, and I started swapping my on-the-go ready meals and convenience foods for home-cooked dinners like spaghetti bolognese<\/a> made using 5% fat beef mince and a sauce cooked from scratch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before joining Slimming World, I played netball once a week, but I never felt like I was reaching my full potential. Slimming World\u2019s physical activity programme, Body Magic<\/a>, showed me that I can take my time to build up my fitness levels with achievable goals. Running the London Marathon is a true sign of how far I\u2019ve come! <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m now a Slimming World Consultant<\/a>, running my own group, and I hope that my London Marathon endeavours will inspire my members to reach their own activity goals. In fact, one of my members, Daniel, is also part of this year\u2019s Slimming World London Marathon team. I can\u2019t wait to see him once we\u2019ve both crossed the finish line!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m running the London Marathon in aid of Alzheimer\u2019s Research UK. As a Slimming World Consultant, I\u2019m passionate about raising money for our important charity partners and want to do my bit to help continue the research into curing this cruel condition.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Julie runs her own Slimming World groups in Lancashire to help support and inspire others to reach their weight loss goals. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find Julie\u2019s fundraising page here<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re feeling inspired to give running a go, you\u2019ll find a step-by-step training plan on our exclusive member website and app. Start today and you could join us running Race for Life<\/a> this summer! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.slimmingworld.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Group-CTA-Square-New.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n