16 January 2024 , 00:01
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A mum named 'Miss Slinky 2024' after losing seven and a half stone has described the moment she realised she needed to change - and it happened at a beach party.
Leanne Hemming, 40, from Cornwall, was given the Slimming World gong and says she now feels a lot healthier after shedding the weight -and added she is the "first one out of my chair" at a party nowadays. She decided to join her local Slimming World group after attending her aunt’s 60th.
“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," she said.
“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 is married to James and has two sons Hugo and Elliott aged nine and 11, continued: “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.
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“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.”
She realised that she wanted to lose weight and be fitter
Leanne Hemming has been named Miss Slinky 2024Although she initially felt embarrassed about the idea of joining a Slimming World group, Leanne, who lives in Canonstown, soon discovered that the support was a big help.
She continued: “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's menu before slimming
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
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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
She told how she would easily become out of breathLeanne began to enjoy the healthy eating plan and built healthy habits around her diet. “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," she said.
“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.”
Leanne also began to exercise more. “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," she said.
Leanne has lost 7.5 stones
She said she now enjoys her new healthy lifestyle“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!”
Leanne's vital stats
Age: 40
Height: 5ft 9ins
Starting weight: 18st 2lbs/115kg
Current weight: 10st 9lbs/67kg
Weight loss: 7st 7lbs/48kg
Dress size before: 24
Dress size now: 8
Date joined Slimming World: August 2021