Slimmer of the Year loses 9 stone

Jacqui Booth has gone from 20 stones to 11 stones, nine pounds and now she’s been chosen to represent the Lee Mount Slimming World group as its Woman of the Year.

Around one in four women in the UK are severely overweight and at risk of suffering a range of health problems including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition recognises the achievements of women in making long-term healthy lifestyle changes.

Jacqui, who joined Slimming World in July 2014, said: “I lost weight for my wedding in 2009, though soon after was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was told the treatment would make it hard to lose weight so sort of took that as a green light not to look after myself and just kept on gaining weight. If only I’d known then about Slimming World. I tried lots of different diets but they usually left me feeling hungry or miserable – or both, in fact.

“With Slimming World it’s completely different, I never have to miss out and I don’t have to get hung up on weighing and measuring everything I eat. I don’t feel deprived and after losing nine stone I’m the slimmest – and the happiest – I’ve been in such a long time.”

The 49-year-old follows Slimming World’s food optimising eating plan, which encourages slimmers to fill up on satisfying yet healthy everyday foods like fruit and veg, lean meat and fish, pasta, potatoes, rice and pulses.

She added: “When I started out I never dreamt I’d be able to achieve all that I have. I lost eight-and-a-half pounds in my first week and was blown away that the changes I’d made had such a big impact so quickly. As the weight started to come off and I began moving down dress sizes – I’ve gone from a size 28 to a size 12 - I started to believe I could lose the weight and keep it off. Losing the weight has changed my life.

“I’ve got so much more energy and I can do things I couldn’t before. My fitness has improved and I enjoy being active rather than thinking of it as a chore.”