I had zero confidence in how I looked so I lost more than four stone with Slimming World

Primary school teacher Laura Dodds has transformed her weight in just under a year after she joined Slimming World, in Gosforth, and lost four stone six pounds to reach her target weight.

As a result of her weight loss, the 36-year-old drops from a size 16-18 down to size 10.

Laura has explained that she decided to loss weight as she had started to stop socialising due to being self-conscious about how she looked and felt.

She said: “I wanted to lose weight because I had stopped arranging to meet up with friends if I hadn’t seen them in a while.

“I was embarrassed by the way I looked and felt like they would judge me or talk behind my back once I had left.

“Before Slimming World, I felt self-conscious, embarrassed, miserable and anxious - I had zero confidence and wore baggy clothes to try and cover up the shape and size of my body.

“On my first night in group, I actually saw someone there who I knew from years ago so I instantly felt embarrassed by how I looked.

“I then had to tell myself that everyone was there for the same reason as me, because they wanted to lose weight and feel better about themselves.”

Laura has stated that before joining Slimming World in May 2024, she would eat at least one takeaway a week and snack on things like biscuits and sweets throughout the day.

She has transformed her diet to now include healthier alternatives such as fish, fruit and vegetables - as well as making meals from scratch so she knows exactly what ingredients are going in them.

Since hitting target weight on February 27, Laura has revealed how she now feels having lost weight with Slimming World.

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She added: “I feel so confident with the way I look now. I am enjoying going shopping on a Saturday with my mam again- something the joy had been sucked out of because I didn’t want to buy any clothes in the size I was wearing.

“I also don’t mind my photo being taken anymore - I absolutely hated it before.

“What I love about my group is the family feel to it. Everyone is there to support, give ideas and just to listen to each other.

“You end up making really close friends and forming real attachments to people.

“We also have such a laugh, so much so that when I did reach my target, it was such an emotional moment.”

You can find out more about Slimming World by visiting: https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/.

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