
Wrexham woman now helping others with weight loss journey
Sue, who has struggled with her weight since childhood, tried several approaches before finding success with Slimming World in 2013.
She lost six stone, which improved her health and fertility, and in 2015, she welcomed her baby boy after years of infertility struggles.
However, Sue faced unexpected setbacks in the following years.
By late 2021, she developed fibroids and polyps, non-cancerous growths in the womb, affecting one in three women in the UK.
Routine surgery went wrong, leaving her with health challenges and chronic pain.
This took a toll on her energy, confidence, and overall well-being.
She said: "It felt like life shrank for a while.
"I just wanted to feel like myself again — to be the mum who could run around with her little boy."
By 2022, Sue had regained the weight she had worked hard to lose ten years earlier.
She said: "All the healthy habits I had went out the window, the pain was unbearable some days.
"I couldn't exercise as I used to, I comfort ate and the weight piled back on."
Instead of giving up, she decided to go back to what had worked before and focus on rebuilding one step at a time.
She said: "I worked a lot on self-compassion and realised I didn't have to be perfect, I needed to reconnect with my healthy habits — I just had to keep showing up for myself, keep moving forward."
Since 2022, Sue has lost four and a half stone and, following her recovery from surgery in 2024, says she now feels stronger than ever.
She said: "What kept me going was knowing that I deserved to feel well — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally."
Now, she has trained as a consultant for Slimming World, at their national training academy in Derbyshire.
Members of the group are preparing to welcome Sue as their new consultant when she takes over on Friday, May 30, 2025.
She said: "I know how hard it can feel to walk back into a group when you're struggling whether you're someone like me who's lost weight and regained it or someone who's never tried a slimming community group before.
"There's no shame in asking for help.
"We all deserve to feel good in our own skin, and sometimes we need help to get into the right mindset to make the behaviour changes for a healthy lifestyle to become routine."
READ MORE:
Wales Comic Con to return later this year - but at a new north Wales location!
Sue says she now hopes to offer the same lifeline she once needed.
She said: "Health is our most precious asset — it underpins everything we do.
"My aim is to help people reclaim their health and well-being and live their lives, full of energy, confidence and joy."
Sue's Slimming World group will be held at Garden Village Hall, Wrexham, every Friday at 7.30am and 9.30am from May 30, 2025.
For more information or to join Sue's group either pop along on May 30 or call her on 07377 828 654.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Courier
10 hours ago
- The Courier
MARTEL MAXWELL: Dundee 'weight-loss wave' has me tempted by shortcuts
As summer approaches and holidays are planned, it is not unusual to notice a friend – or maybe two – looking fabulous. You do a double take when you see them – they look younger, fresher and thinner. The kind of dramatic weight loss that is transformative. Middle-age spread, pot belly, and puffy face gone. But here's the thing. And it's quite a thing. I'm double taking all the time. Give me any gathering of people in Dundee – school pick-up, kids' football match or a night out – and it's like a Slimming World magazine. Many will have found that oft elusive motivation to shed pounds (we all know how it works), to eat less and move more. Others – and not just the ones who admit to it – will have taken the short cut of injecting the new, increasingly-prominent, weight-loss drugs which suppress appetite and work to shift excess fat. More power to both camps – no judgement. But it's getting a bit Twilighty. It's like body snatchers are sneaking down to Dundee as night falls, replacing the lumpy and bumpy with Instagram-edited version of themselves – all flat stomachs and cheekbones. Regular readers of my column will know I've touched on this before, including last year when I discussed the Ozempic boom. I told you about a friend who admitted she was on the weight-loss jabs. She all but tapped her nose as we looked around the ladies' charity lunch we were at and said: 'Mark my words, women here are on it.' She told me she'd developed a sixth sense in telling who was on the medication. My friend was brilliantly honest, explaining how she paid for the jabs and how she couldn't shift the middle-aged spread which had taken her from a size 10 to 14. No clothes fitted and it was getting her down. She quickly lost a stone with the jabs but also admitted they affected her mood and made her a bit sick for the first few weeks. Another friend who's gone from a size 16 to 10 says she has had no side effects. She has more energy and claims the jabs took away her desire to drink as much alcohol, which was becoming a daily few glasses of wine after work. Fast forward eight months and sudden transformations are everywhere. I have also noticed an increase in people committing to sport, which is great. One friend is wild swimming twice a week while another is running ultra marathons. And one has even started her own CrossFit business – PeaceFit in Wormit. Many mutual friends attend her classes and look awesome – stronger, fitter and toned. I've noticed couples losing weight together. Going back to the jabs, I suppose it's too easy for the muffin tops like me to point a finger and say everyone's on them. But who wouldn't want a quick fix? A stone down for summer? The reintroduction of a bikini following a decade of covering up after kids and – if I'm entirely honest – dieting and sporadic exercise interspersed with occasional gluttony… I'm tempted myself. However, if something seems too good to be true, maybe, just maybe, it is. The jury is still out, with research pointing to the possibility of health complications involved with the jabs. This can be counter-argued with the fact obesity can cause diabetes, heart problems and cancer. Shifting weight if you're over 40 has the magical plus of shifting a few years in appearance too – puffy faces and pot bellies begone. Some of the people I'm seeing seem to have had a magical elixir of youth. If I sound envious, I probably am. Let me know if you've seen a younger, slimmer Dundee – and maybe even if you've taken a shortcut yourself. Bon appétit!


Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I'm in £21k of debt but Mounjaro's an essential buy each month, I've lost 5st without giving up Chinese takeaways
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM has revealed she has no regrets about spending £1,200 on confidence-boosting Mounjaro - despite being in £21,000 of debt. Nikki Johnstone, from Falkirk, started using the weight loss jabs last August when she tipped the scales at 18st 7lb. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Nikki Johnstone weighed 18st 7lb before Mounjaro Credit: Supplied 5 The mum-of-two has now lost 5st Credit: Supplied 5 She's used the weight loss jabs for the past nine months Credit: Getty The mortgage advisor, 36, had been unhappy with her weight for a long time, especially since having kids. But leaving a bad relationship, working on a debt repayment plan, improving her mental health and looking after her children - now aged three and five - had always taken priority over weight loss. Now, after taking a chance on Mounjaro, she has lost 5st and currently weighs 13st 6lb. Here, Nikki exclusively opens up to Fabulous on her Mounjaro journey. The single mum said: "I'd been considering it for some time but was worried about all the horror stories you read and wondered if it was actually a scam or was this genuinely a wonder drug? "I watched loads of videos on TikTok of others taking it and describing the journey and saw a discount code for cheap so decided to get on board. "I've got about 3.5st to get to my ideal goal weight of around 10st which I hope to get to by the end of the year." Nikki is currently on a journey to pay off £21,000 of debt but insists she would "happily spend the money again and again" on weight loss jabs. To date, the hard-working mum has spent £1,238.99 on Mounjaro pens, which works out at an average of £138 per pen. And she always shops around for the best prices and often swaps pharmacies to keep the cost down. I've lost 3 stone in 8 months on fat jabs - there's a common error new starters are making & it means nasty side effects She said: "I like to say there is no right or wrong with money. You have to prioritise what is important to you, depending on what speaks to your soul. "My personal transformation journey is super important to me, and without health, you have nothing else. "I left my relationship in February and moved into my own little house with my children - I want to be healthy for me but I especially want to be healthy for them." Nikki had previously lost 4st on WeightWatchers but quickly piled it all back on, and tried Slimming World five times "with no success". But over the past nine months she's seen the weight consistently drop off thanks to "easy" Mounjaro, regarded by some as the King Kong of weight loss jabs. 5 Nikki says she has no regrets about using Mounjaro despite her debt Credit: Supplied 5 Her slimmer figure has given her the confidence to help others About half a million Brits use weight loss drugs - and the number is expected to double in the next year. Mounjaro works by suppressing your appetite, making people feel fuller for longer. The injections are licensed for patients with type 2 diabetes and to assist those who are clinically obese (with a Body Mass Index of 30 or over). One jab is administered each week but the duration is dependent on someone's weight. While many typically associate headaches and constipation with Mounjaro, Nikki has been lucky enought to suffer from zero side effects. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. She said: "Mounjaro is just simple. It's easy. You don't really need to think about it. You stop thinking about food, you are in calorie deficit anyway because you don't eat as much naturally. "My journey has been slow and steady, not rapid weight loss at all, but fairly consistent. When I started, I never ever thought I'd get to five stone loss, it's a momentous milestone." Her slimmer figure has given her the confidence boost to put herself out there, launching a TikTok page (@mumwithfunds) with finance, budgeting and Mounjaro tips for others. And she's not even had to change her eating habits either, still munching on takeaways every week. She said: "I actually have a second job in a Chinese takeaway on the weekends, so since starting this journey I've always had two Chinese takeouts per week at least and have still consistently lost weight. "I appreciate it might be why my weight loss is slower than others, I haven't tracked a single calorie. However, of course, my portion sizes are significantly smaller nowadays." She continued: "The judgement will always be there - especially me eating Chinese while being on Mounjaro. "You get told it's cheating and in some ways, some days, it does feel like cheating. How can I lose 5 stone and still have takeaway... all the time!? "But at the end of the day, everyone is on their own journey, and losing five stone has done wonders for my mental health, my self image, my confidence - and I would do it again just like this if I could. "I've recommended Mounjaro to everyone I know." 'Potential to kill' But although Kenidee's weight loss has left many very impressed, users should note that Mounjaro can have fatal consequences. Sun GP Dr Zoe Williams acknowledged that Mounjaro, which could soon be rolled out on the NHS, can save the lives of people with 'life-threatening levels of obesity.' But despite this, the NHS said: 'Never take an anti-obesity medicine if it has not been prescribed to you. "These types of medicines may not be safe for you and can cause serious side effects.' The drugs can be prescribed by a practitioner - such as a doctor, nurse or a pharmacist-independent prescriber. But increasingly, many have been buying them through online pharmacies without sufficient checks. Recently, figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency revealed fat jabs had been linked to 82 deaths across the UK. As a result, the family of a man from Burton upon Trent, Staffs, who died after taking Mounjaro, are now calling for a probe into the jab's "potential to kill."


Scotsman
5 days ago
- Scotsman
Slimming groups are here to stay - weight loss drugs can't replace the power of group support for lasting weight loss
A Slimming World manager from West Lothian says slimming clubs are needed more than ever despite the growing popularity of weight loss medication. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... While the arrival of weight loss injections like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have undoubtedly changed the weight management landscape, Stuart Malcolm, who supports groups across the East of Scotland, says the drugs will never replace weight-loss methods based on lifestyle changes, like Slimming World. Stuart became a Slimming World member in 2013 after struggling with his weight in his 20s and after many failed-attempts to lose weight previously. He says: 'While, of course, we know and our members are living proof that lasting weight loss can be achieved without drugs, we also understand that when you're desperate to lose weight, it can be tempting to try something new that promises instant results. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "The truth is though there's no magic bullet – losing weight and maintaining that weight loss requires change. Weight loss drugs need to go hand-in-hand with making changes to your diet, activity and mindset. They're not a replacement for those changes.' Weight loss expert, Stuart Malcolm A recent University of Oxford study found exactly this. It showed that people who stop taking weight loss drugs typically regained the weight they lost within a year, with full weight regain expected in under two years, if they don't maintain a healthy lifestyle afterwards. Stuart says Slimming World's approach is focused on helping its members to make lasting changes. He says: 'Our healthy eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious, everyday food so they lose weight without deprivation, and we have an activity programme that helps members increase how much and how often they move, at their personal pace. In our groups, members get behaviour change support which helps them to understand themselves more deeply as a slimmer and change the way they think about food, activity and their weight. "With over 55 years' expertise in helping people lose weight and transform their lives, we believe Slimming World offers the very best package there is when it comes to helping people to adopt healthy habits for life. That's why we're committed to offering support to everyone, including providing wraparound care for members who are taking weight loss drugs alongside attending Slimming World.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Currently 64 million people in the UK are living with overweight and obesity. Stuart says: 'Many people join our groups after trying to lose weight beforehand, often alone and unsuccessfully. They understand they need support because it isn't easy – and it's even harder on your own. Whether you're using weight loss medication or have had surgery, lasting change needs real support. Members form strong friendships in group, and there's nothing quite like the motivation and accountability that comes from losing weight with others who understand the challenges. Being part of a group helps you to stay on track and committed until the changes you're making become everyday habits.' Despite more weight loss drugs now being available, a poll of 2,000 adults revealed 69 per cent of adults would still be unlikely to take them. Of those, 25 per cent say they don't want to change the way they eat, drink and socialise, 21 per cent worried they wouldn't be getting the nutrition they need for good health and 20 per cent say they love their food too much. Stuart says: 'I often hear from new members how amazed they are that they can lose weight without feeling like they're missing out. In fact, in a recent survey of our members conducted by OnePoll, 85 per cent told us they were surprised they could lose weight while still eating foods they loved.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The survey of members of Slimming World's 13,000 community weight loss groups and online programme found that 89 per cent love losing weight while getting all the nutrients they need. Over three quarters (77 per cent) of members questioned now make healthy, nutritious, filling meals that the whole family enjoys and 76 per cent feel proud that they're passing on healthy habits to their families. More than half (56 per cent) report being surprised at how quickly they've lost weight since joining Slimming World. Stuart has lost over 5 stones since joining Slimming World. He says: 'I'm delighted with how Slimming World has educated me and given me the knowledge and tools to continue my own weight loss journey and support others too who are unhappy with their weight. While I wouldn't ever judge someone for going down the route of weight loss injections, I'm personally glad I didn't choose that option because I feel confident that I've learned how to make changes I can keep up forever.