Slimming World Secrets

I’m Slimming World Greatest Loser 2022!

Finally, the one group award that’s evaded me all these years is in my hot little hands – I’ve just won my group’s Slimming World’s Greatest Loser 2022 title.

I say just, this actually happened eight days ago. I wanted to post something earlier here, but I’ve been less occupied with Slimming World and more worried about events in Ukraine escalating, as well as being made redundant from my job. Tough times!

But, let me cast my mind back to last Saturday morning, which was quite a momentous one on my Slimming World journey for several reasons.

End of the road for the Crazy Saturday Gang

First, my group, the Crazy Saturday Gang, has closed. Last Saturday was our last ever meeting in that big old former home economics schoolroom.

I’ve not been a member for that long – only since I joined in June last year when my previous group closed down. But I love my consultant and made some lovely new friends. I shall miss them all.

For my consultant, the wonderful Tracy, she’s decided to hang up her Slimming World scales after 16 years.

So it was emotional to say goodbye to her in one respect – she got me to Target (twice) and has been a great inspiration on both my slimming and trans journeys. I bought her a big bunch of lilies and roses to say thank you.

But I can’t feel too sad as we’ll remain friends away from group – we share a love of Derby County FC and have already been to our first match together. And we won with an injury time goal!

Winning Greatest Loser 2022

Anyway, back to Greatest Loser. As I say, this is the one group award that has evaded me for the eight years I’ve done Slimming World.

I won Man of the Year and Mr Sleek titles and my previous life, and followed those up with Woman of the Year and Miss Slinky in my new life.

I came really close to winning Greatest Loser last year in my previous group, but was pipped to the post by two or three pounds. This year, after hitting my Target of 5st 7lbs lost, I thought I had to be in with a pretty good chance.

For those not in the know, the Greatest Loser title goes to the group member who has lost the most amount of weight since joining Slimming World.

That doesn’t have to be in a certain period – just since the day they started, whether it takes them six months or 20 years. Target members are also eligible.

This year, it was my turn. Tracy presented me with a big bunch of ivory roses and purple tulips, along with the all-important sticker and certificate.

This will take pride of place on my Slimming World shelf once I get a frame for it.

Not gonna lie, it felt good to win. As a Target member, it’s very rare that I win any awards these days as all the hard work is done. My aim is to maintain my weight, so winning Slimmer of the Week and Slimmer of the Month is all but impossible.

So to win one of the big annual awards felt really good, especially as I came so close last year.

I won the Super-Creative Cook award, too!

Not content with winning Greatest Loser, I also won another award. This was the Super-Creative Cook title, which goes with the Slimming World Cook-Off event held in Free Food February.

The idea is that a taster session is held, people take along their dishes and then there’s a vote for the best one. The winner is the person who gets the most votes.

Now, I actually won this back in 2019 with my previous group, the Night Owls. My signature dish is a Thai Green Chicken Curry, so I rustled up that. I made it slimming-friendly by using light coconut milk and sweeteners, instead of sugar.

As it won two years ago (there was no competition in 2020 as we were locked down due to Covid-19), I thought: well, new group, why not make it again?!

So I did. Because everyone wants Thai Green Curry for breakfast on a Saturday morning, right? 😉

This year, there was no vote and, as only three people had made anything and Tracy had three certificates, we were all crowned winners.

So, we all got a certificate, a sticker for our books and a Slimming World tea towel. I also got a slotted Slimming World spatula, which I love because I’m amassing quite the collection of SW “merch”!

The end of another Slimming World era

So, despite feeling sad that it was our final group, I was thrilled to win two top awards. I also topped things off by winning the raffle (I have a bit of a reputation for “always” winning the raffle!) – a big box of green veggies. As hat-tricks go, that was a pretty good one!

And so began discussions about which group to go to next. Some members decided to go to one of two groups a few miles away. Another headed for a group further away because it will tie in with visits to see her mum.

As for me, I still haven’t decided what to do. I didn’t weigh in anywhere yesterday, which is most unlike me. And with everything going on in the world and losing my job, slimming has not been a priority of late. Had I weighed in, it would have been a big gain, and I didn’t want my Target bubble bursting.

Choosing a new Slimming World group

I now need to decide whether I join one of the groups a few miles away on a Saturday morning, or stay in town and join one that meets on a Friday morning.

In the past, that wouldn’t have been possible due to working. But now I’m a lady of leisure, that might make more sense.

So that’s all from me. I’m not updating the blog on a weekly basis anymore, but I will do when something big happens. And I do want to start posting regular features and recipe updates.

First, I’m going to dedicate a little time to renovating my cottage and enjoying a bit of a career break.

Stay safe out there, folks. Love to Ukraine and all nations across the world.