Sascha sheds 6st and bags up donations for Cancer Research UK
A senior business development manager from Bedfordshire is donating the contents of her old wardrobe after losing an incredible 6st 4½lbs (40kgs).
Before joining Slimming World, mum-of-three Sascha Ross, 33, from Leighton Buzzard, had been unhappy with her weight for as long as she could remember. She’s since lost more than 6st (38kgs) and found the confidence to help others by opening her own Slimming World group.
Sascha says: “Growing up, I didn’t really think about what I was eating – if I fancied chocolate cake for breakfast, I’d have it. My weight crept up over the years and it’s only when I look back that I see how much it was affecting me.
“In 2017, I joined my local Slimming World group weighing 15st 10lbs (100kgs). When the Covid-19 lockdown hit I took a break from group. I tried to keep up the healthy habits I’d created such as using low-calorie cooking spray and Slimming World recipes, but it was a half-hearted approach. I was then furloughed for 10 weeks, and with only homeschooling my then 10-year-old daughter, Evie, to keep me occupied, I soon fell into a routine of watching a movie with a big bag of crisps and packet of biscuits.
“Around this time, I found out I was pregnant and as my bump grew, I thought back to how things had been when Evie was a baby. As a first-time mum, I’d be busy feeding her and forget to have my own breakfast, this led to feeling ravenous by lunch time and reaching for supermarket meal deals and then relying on microwave meals in the evening without considering what was in them. I wanted things to be different this time and knew I needed to get myself back to my Slimming World group for the weekly support and motivation.”
Sascha headed back to Slimming World in 2021 when her second daughter Poppy was four months old.
She says: “I was shocked to find out I weighed 16st 3½lbs (103kgs) when I returned to the group. It was the heaviest I’d been, but I was determined now was my time to make changes to last a lifetime.
“My group Consultant Hannah was understanding and has inspired me throughout my weight loss journey. The support from her and my fellow members really kept me motivated.”
Sascha has since lost 6st 4½lbs (40kgs) following Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, and was able to enjoy her favourite meals like tuna pasta bake and chicken kebabs.
She continues: “I was amazed with how much I was able to eat without feeling like I was on a diet or restricting my favourite foods. I love following Slimming World recipes that the children enjoy too, knowing we’ll all eat the same meal and I’ll be able to maintain my weight loss.”
Alongside losing weight, Sascha also increased her activity levels with Slimming World’s active lifestyle programme.
She says: “I wasn’t very active before joining Slimming World. I’ve completed the Couch to 5k programme in the past but stopped running as soon as I finished it. I also went through periods of going to the gym, but it never stuck for long. At Slimming World I was encouraged to find exercises I enjoy, and I realised consistency is key.
“I’ve linked my Slimming World app to my Fitbit, and this keeps me motivated as I’m able to track my workouts and see my progress. I completed Couch to 5k again but this time I kept going – I’ve truly caught the running bug! I’ve even completed this year’s TCS London Marathon as part of the Slimming World team – something I’d never have dreamed possible five years ago.
“Losing weight with Slimming World has changed my life and it inspired me to help others who feel the same way I did. That’s why, after successfully reaching my target weight, I decided to become a Slimming World Consultant. Supporting people in achieving their goals means the world to me and I’m proud to make a difference in my community.”
Sascha and her Slimming World groups will be donating the clothes they’ve slimmed out of to Cancer Research UK as part of the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw, which aims to not only raise much needed funds for the charity but also increase awareness of how maintaining a healthy weight and staying active can improve people’s health and help reduce the risk of 13 different types of cancer.
Before losing weight, clothes shopping consisted of ordering items from online shops and sending each one back as I hated how they looked on me. Now, I love expressing myself through fashion and finding items to add to my new wardrobe.
Sascha says: “It makes me so happy to see my members gaining the confidence to wear the clothes they’ve always wanted to and that’s why I didn’t hesitate to get involved with the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw.
“I sadly lost my dad to cancer when I was just six years old, and more recently my father‑in‑law two years ago. I also have members whose lives have been affected by the disease, so Cancer Research UK is a charity that’s very close to my heart. I’m determined to do everything I can to help the charity continue their crucial research to help people beat cancer sooner.”
Slimming World has raised more than £30 million for Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research through a variety of campaigns including The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw and supporting the charity’s Race for Life event series.