BRISTOL SLIMMER REACHES SEMI-FINALS AFTER LOSING 9ST 5.5LBS

A 54-year-old super slimmer from Bristol has reached the semi-finals of a competition to find the UK and Ireland’s most successful female slimmers, after losing a life-changing 9st 5.5lbs.

Sally Bundell secured her place in the semi-final of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition after members from her Ashton Vale group voted her as their representative in the annual contest. She was then delighted to be one of 37 women from across the UK and Ireland invited to share her story at Slimming World head office in Derbyshire and be in with a chance of taking the overall title.

Sally, who slimmed from 18st 6.5lbs to 9st 1lbs, says: “Before I joined Slimming World, losing weight just felt like an uphill struggle. I felt self-concious all the time and would get out of breath doing the most simple things and, although I was desperate to do something about it, I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I would always be overweight and unhappy.

“I tried a few ways to lose weight before Slimming World and the difference this time was that Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan showed me a way of eating that fits so easily around my life, without me ever feeling hungry or like I’m missing out or restricting myself. Throughout my weight loss journey I’ve been able to still enjoy all my favourite meals like curries, roast dinners, stir-fries and burgers and chips I just prepared and cooked them differently.

“The best thing is that I feel confident that I’ve formed new healthy habits that will stick with me, like filling my plate with plenty of veg and cooking without lots of added oils and fats. These new habits have enabled me to finally take control of my weight and find the confidence I’ve been lacking all these years – it doesn’t feel like an uphill struggle anymore.

“With my new-found confidence I started thinking about ways I could become more active and took up walking. Slimming World has a physical activity support programme called Body Magic and it helped me to gradually increase how much I was doing and how often, so I could take it up a gear at a pace that worked for me. I enjoy every minute of it too.”

Sally says that the supportive environment of her Slimming World group has been key to her success. She says: “The group really made me feel welcome from the very first day I joined. We share tips and recipe ideas and cheer each other on when we need it –and even when we don’t realise we do. Ultimately, when I was at my lowest ebb it was a place I felt safe, included and free to be myself. My Consultant Susan has been amazing and really helped me to believe in myself and stay motivated, too.

“At the start of my journey if you’d have told me I would be representing my group at the finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year competition, feeling the way I do, I would have laughed. I still can’t believe this is my reality. I’m looking forward to a brighter, happier and heathier future and ready to seize life with both hands.”

Susan Hook, who runs the Ashton Vale Slimming World group that Sally attends, adds: “Sally’s incredible transformation has inspired so many of her fellow slimmers and she gives them so much support each week, so when it came down to voting for our group’s Woman of the Year it was really lovely to see so many people supporting her and putting her forward. We couldn’t be prouder of her. I hope that Sally inspires other people in Bristol who might’ve been feeling the way that she did to pop along and join one or our warm and friendly groups in South Bristol.