Sarah Wynter lost 7 stone with Slimming World and is named Miss Slinky 2023

A nurse from Hereford, who lost weight during the Covid-19 pandemic after splitting protective clothing provided to her by the NHS, has lost an incredible seven stone with Slimming World and won a national award.
Mum-of-two Sarah Wynter, 40, who has been named Slimming World’s Miss Slinky 2023, had been overweight for much of her life and says her size was taking its toll on her body. “Working as an NHS nurse is intense both mentally and physically. I was wearing size 2XL scrubs and would leave shifts feeling totally exhausted. My body ached all over from being on my feet all day, I had severe joint pain and I’d be breathless from running around. The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) I wore was so hot that I’d sweat profusely and would have to change my scrubs whenever I went for a break.
“Working in Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) during the Covid-19 pandemic was a scary time and my thoughts often turned to how well I’d be able to fight off the virus if I did catch it. I knew that obesity was a contributing factor for many people who struggled with Covid."
Weighing more than 17 stone, Sarah had tried to lose weight alone many times and could never stick to her new habits. She says: “The diets would all work for a while, but I’d soon lose motivation and end up regaining any weight I’d lost. The turning point for me came when we received some new hazmat suits for the Intensive Care Unit. The box was marked ‘one size’ which instantly worried me. I did manage to get the suit on, but the first time I bent over it ripped from my neck down to my bottom. I laughed it off with everyone else in the room but inside I was mortified.”
Sarah had seen signs for a local Slimming World group on her way to work and decided to give it a try. “I had a feeling that attending each week would keep on track. The group and the Consultant were so welcoming, and I found hearing about how well other members had done really motivating. For the first time started to believe that I could lose weight if I wanted to.”
With Slimming World’s eating plan, members can enjoy healthy everyday foods, including lean meat and poultry, eggs, fat-free dairy, pasta, rice and grains, and fruit and veg, without weighing, counting or measuring. “After a lifetime of restrictive diets, I couldn’t believe that I’d be able to lose weight without going hungry."
Sarah, who lives with her husband Jon, 48, and children Alfie, 19 and Maisey, 15, found the eating plan fit easily into family life, too. She says: “My husband is a farmer, so he needs to eat hearty meals to keep his energy levels up, and my two children are both really sporty and row for Great Britain. I loved that I didn’t have to prepare anything different for myself and we still enjoyed our family favourites  – I just prepared everything in a healthier way.”
Sarah adds: “The support of my Slimming World group was invaluable. Everyone truly cares about each other  I quickly knew that attending my Slimming World group would be a key part of my journey, so I’d arrange my shifts around group night and made attending a priority. Being part of the group helped me to understand my own relationship with food more deeply as well, which is what has enabled me to take control and change my mindset around food and drink – and even exercise.”
After a few months, Sarah found that losing weight steadily and eating healthily caused her energy levels to soar. She says that hearing about Slimming World’s physical activity support programme and how much other members enjoyed being active encouraged her to think about how she could build exercise into her life.
Sarah continues: “Before I lost weight I was pretty inactive. I’d be exhausted after a 12.5 hour shift, so walking the dog to the end of the road was about all I could manage. I live in the countryside, so walking in the hills soon became a bit of an escape for me. I built it up gradually at my own pace by walking just a little bit further every time I went out. Now I love nothing more than a hike in the Brecon Beacons. I’ve even completed a couple of charity challenges and would love to climb Kilimanjaro next year.
“My NHS colleagues at Wye Valley Trust have all been so supportive of my journey – in fact, many of them have now joined Slimming World and been successful themselves. I’ll admit that in the past, I’ve sometimes felt like a bit of a hypocrite when giving advice about healthy eating and exercise to my patients, these days I feel proud because I am living proof that it works.”
Now Sarah is excited to inspire even more people to make changes to their weight and health, like she has: “I’m the best version of myself for my patients – and I’m the best version of myself for me and my family too. I’m living my best life and that’s an incredible feeling.”