Slimming World - Westwood, East Kilbride - 07821536175

WESTWOOD
Our Lady of Lourdes
30 Canberra Drive
East Kilbride
Mondays 5:30pm & 7:30pm
Tuesdays 9:30am

Tel: Eamon 07821 536175

Dublin-born Eamon moved to East Kilbride in March 2014, just before his 30th birthday. With a new home, a new job and about to enter a new decade of his life - it should have been an exciting time. "I just remember feeling constantly unhappy and I couldn't put my finger on it," he remembers. "I'd blame my job, the stress that came with it or other things going on around me - but the truth is I was unhappy in my own body - I'd been unhappy in my own body for a long time - and I didn't know what to do to fix it." Eamon struggled with simple tasks like climbing the stairs to his flat without running out of breath. "I'd always carry a spare bottle of aftershave or deodorant with me as I'd be so paranoid about body odour because of my excessive sweating."

The turning point for Eamon came on his birthday, when relatives invited him over for a celebratory meal. "I couldn't find a comfortable position to just sit on their couch because I was so bulky round the middle," he says. "I was having to shift my weight from one side to the other every few minutes and adjust my shirt as it kept riding up and exposing my jiggly bits."

It was on that night, his 30th birthday, that Eamon decided enough was enough and turned to his cousin Lorraine, a Slimming World consultant, and asked if she could help him.

"I was terrified," he recalls. "I'd never tried to diet before because 'dieting' to me meant depriving myself of my favourite foods and eating less - neither of which had ever appealed to me. The best thing about Slimming World's Food Optimising, as I would discover, is that it isn't a 'diet' - it's a healthy eating plan - which means nothing is forbidden!"

Following the plan, Eamon filled his plate with unlimited amounts of 'Free Food' such as fresh fruit and veg, lean meat, fish, pasta and rice at every meal time. He would also have one of each measured 'Healthy Extra' choice, such as milk (calcium) and bread (fibre). And after all of that - if he still had any room left - he could use his daily 'Syn' allowance on everything else. "If someone had told me I could lose weight by eating all my favourite meals, and never going to bed at night still feeling hungry - I'd have laughed in their face," he says. "But it's true. My favourite go-to is Slimming World Syn-free chips, and chip shop curry sauce - because who doesn't want to gorge on chips and curry sauce - and know that it's helping them to lose weight? Genius!" Within 4 months, Eamon had lost an amazing 3st 7lbs!

"I thought I would actually hate attending a slimming group," he says. "I'd grown so used to not socialising, not wanting to be seen or heard, that the prospect of walking into a room full of strangers was very daunting to me - but I soon got over that when I realised that everyone in the room - including my consultant - understood exactly how I felt, because they'd all been there before too." Eamon credits the group as one of the main reasons behind his slimming success. "Not being the most accomplished cook in the world, the ideas, tips and tricks I got from the other members were invaluable. They'd celebrate with me when I'd have a good week, and support me like a family member if I'd have a setback."

"My life today is a million miles away from how it was last year," he says. "Slimming World quite literally handed me my life back, on a plate - piled high with satisfying food!"

A year on from the date he reached his target weight, Eamon is now opening his own brand new Slimming World group in Our Lady of Lourdes, Westwood on Monday, 28th December.

Eamon's only advice to anyone who can relate to his story is this: "Come along, and give it a go. I had already given up on myself because I just didn't know where to start. If I'd have known how much support I'd receive, how much confidence I'd gain, and how much happiness I'd feel inside - I'd have done it years ago! You can do it too!"

WESTWOOD
Our Lady of Lourdes
30 Canberra Drive
East Kilbride
Mondays 5:30pm & 7:30pm

Tel: Eamon 07821 536175

WEIGH-IN/NEW MEMBER TALK
5:30pm-6:00pm & 7:30pm-8:00pm

IMAGE THERAPY
6:00pm-7:00pm & 8:00pm-9:00pm

Tags: Community Organization,Medical & Health