A couple from Castlegar GAA Slimming World Group who have turned their lives around by losing a combined five stone in 19 weeks have bagged a life time free membership.
The Castlegar Slimming World group celebrated Edel and John Phillips’ achievements in May, just in time for Communion season.
Edel and John believe supporting one another on their weight-loss journeys has been key to their success.
Edel Phillips who has lost two stone, said: “When we first joined Slimming World we couldn’t believe how much food we could eat and still lose weight. Making small changes to the way we cooked our meals meant we could still enjoy all of our favourites, like Chicken satay noodles. Eating more food the Slimming World way and keeping our kitchen habits solid has been a vital key to our success.
“We love sharing our new recipes with family and friends, too – they taste so great and people are always surprised to learn they’re good for them. As we’ve lost weight we’ve enjoyed being more active as well, which means we do more together, like getting out and about and enjoying long walks. Getting dressed up to go out has been a joy. Getting dressed up for the Communion in May was our goal, and wanting to feel great on the day was our motivation."
John Phillips, who is three stone lighter since joining Slimming World, said: “We’re lucky because as well as the support we had from each other, the rest of the group have also been there for us. Every week in our group we swap recipes, and if we’ve ever struggled there has always been someone ready to suggest a new idea or remind us why we started this journey. I don’t think we could have achieved all we have without the support of our consultant Claire and the rest of the Slimming World Castlegar group.”
Claire Flaherty, who runs the Castlegar Slimming World group, said: “John and Edel are living proof that slimmers are more successful when they lose weight together and get support and motivation from others. Seeing John and Edel’s weight come down week after week has been a joy. They’re a real inspiration to the rest of the group, including me.”
To find out more about Claire's Slimming World group, which meets in Castlegar GAA Club, Roscam, every Monday, or any Slimming World group, visit www.slimmingworld.ie
