I joined the Slimming Magazine Club in1997, I didn't even have a clue how much I weighed and was amazed at how much I did when I stood on those scales for the first time. I only went along because my mum and her friend were going and I thought I would see what it was all about.

The Sliming Magazine Club I went to was in Colchester, Essex and was in a lovely old hotel in a lovely room over looking the gardens. The room was big and had 10 smallish round table each with about 8 or more (some times less) people sitting at them. Each table was a team and you got points for loosing weight, doing quiz's and bringing new members. The team with the most points that week got a cuddly toy on there table for the week. Carole who was the slimming leader at that time used to weigh everyone, then give a talk or demonstration some times even food tastes (low calorie tasteless food that is!!!).

Anyway the first time I stood on the scales I was so nervous only me and Carole would know my weight but it still scared me, silly I know. I weighed just over 23 stones!!!!!! At 5'8" that was quite a lot over weight, I think my ideal weight was just under 11 stone. I enjoyed my first trip there and kept going back every week, and after a lot of hard work I had lost nearly 8 stones in weight. It's really odd, I was wearing smaller clothes, and got so many comments on how great I looked but I still looked the same to me when I looked into the mirror. Then I got pregnant (whoops!!). I left the club and I was really good, even though I wasn't still sticking to the diet I only put on 2 stones and lost it almost as soon as I gave birth. But now in 2002 I have child number 2 and the weight has slowly crept back on and I look back at the photo's and think god I really did loose all that weight, such a odd feeling. I don't know how much I weigh now I am scared to look. But I have 2 kids and a lovely husband who loves me, and I am happy (I think!).


I would recommend Slimming Magazine Clubs to anyone who is thinking of going, every one is so nice and you make loads of new friends and loosing weight with other people gives you a real helping hand. They have loads of diets for you to try (even one a chocolate lovers one). So thank you Slimming Magazine Club for giving me a small taste of what it's like to be on the other side.