{"id":5532,"date":"2022-09-27T17:28:10","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T16:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slimmingworld.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=5532"},"modified":"2022-10-03T16:09:33","modified_gmt":"2022-10-03T15:09:33","slug":"harriet-peacock-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.slimmingworld.co.uk\/blog\/harriet-peacock-story\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMy group scooped me up from rock bottom\u201d\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People can be incredibly cruel when you\u2019re overweight, and at more than 33st I was often fat-shamed by strangers in the street. One of my lowest moments was having a milkshake thrown at me. I\u2019ll never forget that feeling of utter shock and humiliation, and I was devastated that people felt justified to treat me that way.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hardly surprising that anxiety and depression took hold, and I became very isolated. The physical effects of being overweight meant that I was in constant pain and struggled to stand, so shutting myself away felt like my only option.\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s so sad to say that, by then, I honestly didn\u2019t care whether I lived or died. And there\u2019s no way I\u2019d have\u202fhad the strength to do anything about my weight if it wasn\u2019t for my sister, Ali. We\u2019d always been very close, and of course she was worried sick about me. She was the one who found my nearest Slimming World group and called the Consultant, Michelle \u2013 who was lovely and passed on the reassurance I needed that if I came along to group, the scales definitely wouldn\u2019t break!\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n

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After many sleepless nights and panic attacks, I went to Michelle\u2019s group\u202f\u2013\u202fMum drove me\u202f\u2013\u202fand I finally found it in me to step through the door. My fears fell away immediately. I knew I\u2019d found a place where I was accepted and would never be judged for my size.\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a group of people telling me that I was actually worthy of happiness helped me change the belief I\u2019d held for years \u2013 that I was disgusting and didn\u2019t deserve to have a better life. Instead of comforting myself with high-sugar, high-fat foods, I started to enjoy the wholesome, hearty Slimming World recipes that were shared in group. I quickly learned that losing weight didn\u2019t have to mean eating bland foods, because my menu was packed with flavour \u2013 from spicy curries to slow-cooked stews \u2013 and I never felt hungry.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try a recipe: Spice up your nights with a Slimming World curry – how hot will you go?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With my weight quickly dropping, and my new friends in group cheering me on every week, my confidence and self-esteem just grew and grew. I even joined in with Slimming World\u2019s Body Magic activity programme, starting with short walks up and down the garden with my sister. I could never have imagined, as I struggled with each painful step, that the future Harriet would be able to run 5K!\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n

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I joined group in September 2019, and it feels like a lifetime ago\u202f\u2013\u202fso much has changed. I\u2019ve now lost a total of 20st and Slimming World has crowned me their Greatest Loser 2022! I\u2019m living a life free from anxiety and full of fun, doing all the things I wished I could do before.\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve gone from being a virtual recluse to feeling amazing in a sparkly new dress at Christmas get-togethers. I\u2019ll be receiving my Greatest Loser award at a special event in November, and choosing a beautiful ballgown to wear was a real pinch-me Cinderella moment!\u202f\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My confidence is sky-high now \u2013 so much so that I\u2019ve become a Slimming World Consultant myself. I never imagined I\u2019d be able to stand up in front of a room full of people, but I love it! It\u2019s so rewarding to be able to pay back all the support, understanding and encouragement that I was given as a member by\u202fhelping others achieve their own weight loss goals. I\u2019m proof that the plan does work \u2013 and becoming a Consultant is the cherry on top of an exciting new chapter of my life.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revealed \u2013 losing weight is easier with support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The support of her Slimming World group was a key factor in Harriet’s weight loss success \u2013 and our research has shown that she’s far from alone in that. We found that feeling connected in a group of kind and understanding people, who care about your success and positively support you to succeed, makes a big difference when you’re trying to lose weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our poll of Slimming World members found that:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n