Slimming World Secrets

8½lbs lost as Night Owls make final flight

And, just like that, the Night Owls are no more. My Slimming World group for the past seven-and-a-bit years has now ceased to be.

My week

• Average Syns per day: 19.6
• Average Speed foods per day: 9.4
• SP days: 4
• Body Magic days: 5
• Result: -8½lbs (new record)
• Total loss: -4st 8lbs

Personally speaking, I had a belting week on the scales, losing 8½lbs and wiping out most of the 10½lbs gain from last week.

I may have gone ever-so-slightly over my Syns this past week, but I stepped up the Body Magic, upped my Speed and did four SP days.

In other words, I had a plan in place, and it paid off. Funny how Slimming World actually works when you stick to the plan, isn’t it?

My loss was also enough to regain my 4st and 4½st certificates, I’m back to just 6lbs from Target and my 8½lbs loss is my biggest in all my seven-plus years with Slimming World.

Memories of my first night

But this week wasn’t about me – it was the final time our group came together with our consultant Jackie, and she could no longer say: “Have a good week – and I look forward to seeing less of you next week!”

This was Jackie’s fourth stint in charge of the group, and it was her infectious enthusiasm which gave me the Slimming World bug when I first stepped through the doors of my local primary school hall in 2014.

I can still remember some of the faces in the room that night, I remember setting my Target to lose 5st and I remember my new-member talk.

“So I can eat unlimited chips and full English breakfasts for NO SYNS?! Wow, this is BRILLIANT!”

Squirt ’til it hurts!

I remember Jackie chortling as she said “Squirt ’til it hurts” about Frylight. And I remember getting on the scales right at the end to be told I weighed exactly 15st when my (albeit elderly) set at home had me at a stone lighter.

And I took to it like a duck to water, losing 7½lbs in my first week and then going on to win Slimmer of the Week five weeks out of six.

I remember one member, Karen, saying to me: “I was wondering what to bring you for the Slimmer of the Week basket this week!”

Five awards in one night

One early highlight was winning FIVE Slimming World awards in one night:

• Slimmer of the Week
• Slimmer of the Month
• Silver Body Magic
• 1½lbs award
• Club Ten

I could not stop grinning! Then I went on to lose 4st 10lbs (eventually) and win a string of awards including Miss Slinky 2020 and Woman of the Year 2018.

This little group has been a lifesaver for me. As well as losing weight, I’ve gained so much more self-esteem and am now far more confident speaking in front of groups of people.

When I began in 2014, I was really nervous about that. Now, I’m much better – I even gave two speeches at an awards scheme finals in which I was the top judge. That was on a stage in front of hundreds of people.

Oh, and there’s the small matter of coming out as transgender. As I’ve written here before, I couldn’t have done that without the support of this group.

Leaders and locations

In my time, the group has had four permanent consultants, three venues and more taster nights than you could shake a stick at.

Fletcher’s chicken satay recipe will go down in village folklore, while Deborah’s mackerel pâté is still a firm favourite in my house, many years after I first sampled it.

We’ve shared laughter and tears, and every emotion in between. I’ve gone from threatening to quit because I couldn’t get my head in the game to hugging the weigh lady when I finally did, and started to see losses again.

A virtual farewell to group

We’ve known for a while that the group was to close – Jackie was only ever standing in after our previous consultant stood down, and that arrangement was only for as long as Slimming World held virtual local groups.

And so we waved goodbye to our group not in the school hall, the village hall or the Methodist church, but on Zoom.

Spaniel puppies were proudly displayed, pensioners in Aldi were called “old biddies” by one of our younger members with no filter, and heartwarming memories and photographs were shared.

We all raised a toast to our bonkers group and vowed to meet again, somewhere, sometime, for a drinky, and maybe even a special taster night.

So here’s to you, Betty, Karen, Laura, Libby, Olivia, Neil, Karen and Sue. And here’s to you, Jackie – I’m sure our paths will cross at some point in the future. So long, and thanks for all the fish!

Time for new beginnings

While it’s gutting that the group is no more, now is time for a fresh start with a new group and a new consultant. And I am looking forward to physical groups again. Zoom just ain’t the same.

I’ve missed getting there early and nattering over a coffee with other members. While I’ve not missed the trepidation ahead of weigh-in, I’ve certainly missed the buzz when I get a good loss. It’s not quite the same weighing at home.

My new group is a little closer to home, and I know the consultant because she stood in at the helm of the Night Owls back in 2018. She even presented me with my Woman of the Year certificate back then.

Tracy is another fantastic consultant, and I’m really looking forward to joining her group and getting to Target under her tutelage.

From Night Owls to early bird

The only down side is that group is on Saturday mornings, so that means the end of my lie-ins. But every cloud… I weigh considerably less in the morning than the evenings, and I’ll be able to pop home straight after group and rustle up a Slimming World English breakfast.

All this means a nine-day week ahead of me this week, and blog updates will now come on a Saturday or Sunday, rather than a Thursday.

Anyway, thanks to Jackie (and our earlier consultants, Lisa, Annette and Jenn), and best of luck to all the members of the Night Owls, whether in terms of getting to Target or staying there. I hope our paths cross soon. Stay awesome, fly high. xxx