Woman sheds 7st eating pasta, potatoes and chocolate - 'nothing was off limits'
You might think it sounds too good to be true that you can lose weight while still eating pasta, potatoes and chocolate, but one woman managed to shed the pounds without any restrictions on food types.
When Dawn James, 33, was asked to be a maid of honour at her friend's wedding in 2019, she was worried she'd have all eyes on her due to her 19st 7lbs frame. Feeling motivated, Dawn managed to shed a whopping seven stone, going from a size 16 to a size 12 - all while continuing to eat the things she likes.
Dawn, who is a manager at an opticians, managed to shed the weight by joining Slimming World and was "amazed that it worked and nothing was off limits". Slimming World is a weight loss programme which enables you to eat unlimited amounts of 'Free Foods', which are often low in calories and high in nutrients. Daily treats, known as 'Syns' are also allowed.
Dawn wanted to lose weight for her friend's wedding (Dawn James / SWNS)
She felt self conscious about being maid of honour (Dawn James / SWNS)Dawn, who is from Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, said: "When the time came to be maid of honour, I felt beautiful. I'd lost weight and was feeling great."
Since her friend's wedding, Dawn has continued her weight loss journey, dropping a staggering seven dress sizes and going from a size 26 to a size 12. She went on to be a bride herself, tying the knot with her partner Ben James, 30, in April 2023.
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Dawn, who was able to wear a size 12 wedding dress thanks to her weight loss efforts, felt incredible. Dawn explained: "I was so proud to walk down the aisle in a beautiful wedding dress at least seven sizes smaller than it would have been if I hadn't joined Slimming World.
"I was amazed that it worked and nothing was off limits. I'm a real foodie and thought I'd have to miss out to lose weight – I was wrong. I've lost 7st eating the food I love like pasta, potatoes and chocolate. I love the fact I can still eat carbs and chocolate."
Dawn dropped a whopping seven dress sizes (Emma Trimble / SWNS)
Dawn credits Slimming World for her weight loss success (Emma Trimble / SWNS)Dawn, who now weighs 12st 7lbs, claims the key to her success has been following meal plans and becoming more active. She explained: "Feeling prepared is one of the main changes I've made in my day-to-day life to keep me on track. If we go to a restaurant, I check the menu and choose what I'd like to eat in advance, and I plan my weekly meals every weekend."
She also manages to stay active by walking her dog, Fella, twice a day, as well as walking to and from work. Dawn explained: "I'm on my feet all day constantly up and down the stairs and still have energy in the evenings."
Dawn got married in a size 12 wedding dress (Dawn James / SWNS)Since her friend's wedding, Dawn continued to lose weight before she too tied the knot in April 2023 and dropped a staggering seven dress sizes. She added: "Walking into any high street shop and knowing I'll find clothes I like in my size is an incredible feeling. This means so much to me as all throughout school and into my teens I was overweight, and my mum struggled to get clothes to fit me."
Dawn's diet before
- Breakfast - White bread toast with lots of butter or a pastry
- Lunch - Meal Deal i.e. shop bought sandwich, crisps, chocolate, can of cola
- Dinner - Chicken nuggets and chips
- Snacks - Crisps and bars of chocolate
- Drinks - Fizzy drinks and cider
Dawn's diet after
- Breakfast - Bacon (with the fat cut off) and poached egg sandwich or bacon with scrambled eggs
- Lunch - Slow cooker chilli or cottage pie, batch cooked from home and warmed up at work
- Dinner - Home cooked spaghetti bolognese with salad
- Snacks - Fruit, grapes, apples, low fat crisps or low-calorie jelly
- Drinks - Water, gin and slimline tonic
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