Life’s a beach for Leanne after 7½st weight loss

A mum of two has a new lease of life after losing an incredible 7st 7lbs and being named Slimming World’s Miss Slinky 2024.

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

She says: “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, who lives with her husband James and sons Hugo and Elliott aged nine and 11 in Canonstown, decided to join Slimming World soon after the beach party. She says: “Around that time my cousin had lost 2st 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.

“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.”

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. Everyone I met was so positive about the plan and supportive of one another’s journeys, so I soon felt at home. 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. She says: “I’d expected to be living off tiny portions but that hasn’t been the case at all. I’m vegetarian so wondered if losing weight might be restrictive for me. I couldn’t have been more wrong though – there are so many vegetarian foods that can be enjoyed freely on the plan.

“I love to make a delicious cheesy pasta dish which is packed with tasty vegetables and so filling. Because the plan is based around everyday foods the whole family can eat the same meals – James has lost 4½st just by eating the same meals as me.”

As her weight loss journey progressed, Leanne became more active with the help of Slimming World’s physical activity support programme, which helps members to create a personal plan to increase their activity levels at their own pace.

She says: “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. For me, that means eating nutritious food and moving my body in a way that makes me feel good. Joining my Slimming World group has helped me to learn so much about myself and create a healthy lifestyle for my whole family.

“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. Our family is fit, active and happy and that is all I ever could have asked for. My days of sitting on the sidelines are over – if there’s a party these days, I’m the first one out of my chair!”

You can view a video of Leanne’s story here.

VITAL STATS:

Name: Leanne Hemming

Age: 40

Height: 5ft 9ins/175cm

Starting weight: 18st 2lbs/115kg/254lbs

Current weight: 10st 9lbs/67kg/149lbs

Weight loss: 7st 7lbs/48kg/105lbs

Dress size before: 24

Dress size now: 8

Date joined Slimming World: August 2021

Group: Leanne attends Susie Tait’s Leedstown Slimming World group in Crowan, Cornwall

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