Perthshire woman who lost two stones and 12 lbs is Crieff Slimmer of the Year
A Perthshire woman who transformed her life by losing almost three stones has been named Crieff Slimming World Woman of the Year 2025.
Morag MacKenzie, who attends the Crieff Tuesday evening Slimming World group, was voted by fellow members to win the accolade after losing two stones and 12lbs.
Morag decided to join Slimming World after a devastating run of family bereavements left her in despair.
She turned to food for comfort and soon found her weight rising and her confidence at an all time low.
After receiving counselling she decided it was time to start making herself a priority and took the step to join her local Slimming World group.
Since joining, she has lost almost three stone and her life has completely changed. She feels healthier, happier, fitter and slimmer. She is particularly proud to be able to run around after her grandkids more easily and enjoy being active with them.
Morag said: 'I'm a real food lover, so when my consultant explained the plan to me and said I could still eat real food without having to restrict myself, I knew I was in the right place.
'I couldn't believe it when the weight started falling off. I hadn't been hungry once.'
Morag was joined by two other members as part of the group's competition finals, Donna Mackay and Gwen Barrowman, also nominated by their peers for their inspirational weight losses and life-changing transformations.
Donna has lost six stones with the support of Slimming World and shared that losing weight has helped alleviate her fibromyalgia symptoms.
Donna said: 'I knew I wanted to start exercising and when my consultant spoke about all of the benefits activity would bring, such as feeling stronger and improving my mental health, as well as helping to maintain my weight loss, it was just the motivation I needed.
'I didn't want to have to hit the gym every day or start running marathons though – at least not at first – so I started with walking more and then built up gradually.
'Now I'm always on the go, and with my boys we've become an 'adventure family', enjoying active days out together and eating healthy meals on the go.'
Gwen lost five stones 9.5lb. She said: 'I'm a qualified nutritionist, so I understood the principles of healthy eating, but after caring for my father I had turned to comfort and convenience with my food.
'My sister had joined Slimming World in Dundee, and we decided to walk the journey together. I looked up my local group and went along to find out more – soon realising there was more to the support than just the healthy eating plan.
'The group has helped me with mindset, long-term behaviour change and I have been blown away by what I've achieved in such a short time. 'With only a few pounds to go until I reach my dream target weight, I'm confident that with the strategies I've learned along the way, and the things I've learned about myself as a slimmer.'
The Crieff Slimming World groups are held every Tuesday at 5.30pm, and every Wednesday at 9.30am in the Strathearn Community Campus.
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