Local girl Tracey Smyth decided last January to make a new year’s resolution to change her life for the better in 2015....
She had just been made redundant from a job where she worked for the previous 10 years with very unsociable hours and so was eating late and not properly. The weight had crept on gradually over the years and so despite many, often drastic diets, Tracey remained overweight.
Outwardly, she would be full of fun and always joking and having the craic, but this was to hide her deep lack of self-esteem. Inside, she just felt awful with absolutely no confidence or self-worth whatsoever. “I always remember January 21, 2015 as a very special date; that was the date, my life changed last year in a major way and I have never looked back,” says Tracey. “That was the date, I took control of my life and my weight”.
Tracey joined the Slimming World group in the Athlone Springs Hotel and there she met Pauline, friendly and warm Slimming World consultant, who made her feel at ease straightaway. “When I joined Slimming World first, I felt really low about myself, but as soon at you walk through the door, everyone is so friendly and nobody there judges you and you really feel that, making you relax and feel really comfortable,” says Tracey.
Tracey really loved the Slimming World Food Optimising plan from the start - she loved making stirfries and pasta dishes and chilli con carne. She ate so much food in those first few weeks with no measuring or weighing and was never ever hungry.
This was such a change from all her previous attempts at dieting. She was stunned when she lost half a stone in the first two weeks.
By April of this year, she had lost two stone and felt confident enough to join the local gym and now she also loves exercising regularly.
“ I really enjoy coming to group here to Slimming World every week, it offers such strong support! When you’ve had a great week, your fellow members really celebrate with you and even now, when I’ve not have a great week, I can’t wait to get to group, because I know, I’ll feel so much better when I leave here on a Wednesday evening,” says Tracey.
At Slimming World, the members set their own targets and Tracey has lost an amazing 4st and 8lbs so far. She has only 4lbs to go until she hits her chosen target. Tracey loves to go clothes shopping now and she has becoming so much happier and confident in herself.
“We are all so proud of Tracey” says Pauline , the Slimming World consultant. “She is such an inspiring young woman - to see her transform every week and grow in confidence and happiness, it’s a great honour to be a part of her journey.”
