Slimline Sandie drops eight stone and five dress sizes after joining her local Highland Slimming World group in National Obesity Week
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Two years ago, Highland mother Sandie Porter plucked up the courage to go along to a local slimming group.
She has no regrets and is now an amazing eight stones lighter and has dropped five dress sizes.
In National Obesity Week, Mrs Porter talked about that initial step, which changed her life for the better.
She said: “On the 10th of January 2020, I walked into a local Slimming World Group, absolutely terrified as I hadn’t stepped onto a set of scales in years and I really didn’t know how much I weighed.
“Although I was 53, I’d never been to a slimming group before, and as soon as I stood on the scales, I was mortified at how heavy I’d got.”
Then she heard group consultant Meg Gillies say: “Don’t worry, you’ll never see those numbers again.”
Mrs Porter said: “That was what I so needed to hear and at that point I decided that I would just try my very best to lose the weight I’d gained over the past 20 years.
“The first week I lost six pounds and then each and every week I lost weight, sometimes just one pound but on others as much as four pounds.
“I never had a single gain, and just one ‘maintain’ throughout. I began to really enjoy food optimising, and cooking all our meals from scratch.”
And it was no starvation diet.
“My favourites include chicken korma, with homemade naan bread, bolognese pasta bake, paella and honey chilli chicken,” she said. “I used recipes from Slimming World, The Hairy Dieters Book and Pinch of Nom books.
“I joined with my husband Dave and it became a standing joke that either he or I would be winning slimmer of the week, and taking home a bagful of healthy food from class.”
Spurred on by the weight loss Mrs Porter started exercising.
She said: “I began walking the family dog, and as I got fitter, we would walk longer and longer.
“Then in March the national Covid lockdown started, and Slimming World groups stopped. By this time I’d lost about two-and-a-half stones and I was determined that I didn’t want to lose the momentum.
“So I knuckled down and continued with Meg’s online support and Zoom meetings. I also started doing daily sessions of PE with Joe Wicks on YouTube and kept this up right through the first lockdown and beyond, and kept my weight loss going.
“By August, Dave had reached his target weight loss, but I had still some way to go.”
In October 2020 the family suffered a blow when daughter Katie was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, spending a week in hospital.
Mrs Porter said: “How I never fell off the wagon I’ll never know, but I think by this time I had been following such a healthy lifestyle all year, that I really didn’t want to fall back into my old ways.
“On November 27, (2020) I stood on the scales to find that I’d reached my target weight loss of eight stone.
“By then, I had dropped five dress sizes and lost nearly 17 inches off my waist. I felt absolutely amazing as I didn’t think I could actually do it.”
Mrs Porter added: “Slimming World does work if you stick to the plan.
“It’s more of a change of lifestyle rather than a diet, and certainly one I’m glad I chose.
“With the fantastic support of Dave and Katie, parents, close friends and Meg and her Friday 9.30am group, I finally got there.
“I’ve got my confidence back and it’s much more fun clothes shopping these days.”
Meanwhile the University of Lincoln has discovered a link between weight loss groups and increased mental toughness. Members of Slimming World groups lost weight more successfully than a comparison group aiming to lose weight alone, and also improved their mental toughness.
Mental toughness has been studied in sport and is linked to characteristics such as keeping a clear focus on goals under pressure, having a strong sense of purpose and self-determination, and feeling in control.
