Real Success

Bethan Price from Kilham in East Yorkshire lost a remarkable 3½ stones with Slimming World. After a hospital check-up revealed how her weight was affecting her health Bethan knew she needed to take action – and look at her now! She shares her story here…

“It was my hip specialist who made me realise I needed to do something about my weight. He’s been seeing me once a year since I was a teenager, and it was a shock when, at my routine check-up in February 2008, the first thing he commented on was my size.

“He had good reason to be concerned. I have congenital dislocation of the hips, and although I’m still only in my early 20s, I’ve already had surgery, and will also need a knee replacement. My weight was putting added stress on my joints and I found myself in pain regularly.

“I hadn’t always been big. Despite my condition, I was a keen netball and hockey player at school, as well as a member of the local swimming club. Then, in the sixth form, I started going out with my boyfriend Danny. Suddenly, a night out at the cinema with a family-size bag of Maltesers was more appealing than netball or swimming! I also tucked into the same size portions as Danny – conveniently forgetting that, at 6ft 4ins, he’s almost a foot taller.

“My weight continued to increase while at Coventry University where I studied theatre. After I’d finished, Danny and I went to France for a working holiday, where we were kept busy cleaning caravans all day. I also went swimming, ate healthily (lots of barbecues and salads) and lost a stone without trying. Back home I was proud when the weight stayed off, but chose to ignore the fact that, despite having lost one stone, I still needed to lose more.

“I knew I was going to have to learn to eat differently though, and to do that I needed both education and support. That’s exactly what I found at Slimming World, and after joining my local group, I soon started losing weight.

My Mum, Dad and Danny have all been really supportive. At first I cooked and ate separately, but when they saw all the delicious meals I was enjoying, they wanted to have the same!

“One unexpected bonus with Food Optimising was the money I saved by taking my own

(continued above)

lunches to work. Danny and I are both living with our parents while saving for a deposit on our own place, and Food Optimising meant I was no longer buying ready-made sandwiches, crisps and chocolate – saving me around £20 a week!

“Another great motivator was Philippa, my amazing Consultant. I love her realistic attitude: she knows we’re all human, and that parties and holidays are part of life, but she always steers us back on track in a really positive, upbeat way.

“I’ve reached my target now and I’m delighted to be back to a size 12. Danny’s thrilled too – he’s seen my old confidence come flooding back!

“I went to see my hip consultant two months ago, and he couldn’t stop grinning. He said I was looking really well and asked me what had prompted me to lose weight. When I told him it was what he’d said to me at my last check-up, his face was a picture!”

find out more

If you'd like to reveal the real you, find your nearest warm and friendly Slimming World group, where men and women are welcome.