Tansy Arnett lost 7st 3lb with Slimming World and is Miss Slinky 2021

Mum-of-three Tansy Arnett from Colchester in Essex has dropped six dress sizes and lost over 7stone.  Weighing more than 18st, the primary school learning support assistant had joint, neck and back pain and was desperately self-conscious but since losing 7st 3lbs Tansy is brimming with confidence. Tansy says she's struggled with her weight for as long as she can remember and has always used food as a comfort. She says: “I tried so many diets and they all resulted in me starving myself, becoming extremely unhealthy and then regaining the weight. It had an awful impact on my relationship with food and I was very much an emotional eater.  I met a few people who’d been successful with Slimming World and what really appealed to me was that they’d not only lost weight but kept the weight off – one woman had maintained her weight loss for years and years. I knew I needed something that would help me make a change for good. Slimming World has helped me to break the awful habit of starving myself to lose weight, and encouraged me to eat a well-balanced and varied diet. I have completely fallen in love with cooking again and love trying new recipes.”
It was after seeing the success of others and discussing the idea of joining Slimming World with her sister Ferne, that Tansy joined her local Highwoods Colchester Slimming World group in November 2019. She says: “I was so nervous. I sat in that first group with a shaky, wobbly lip and my heart beating out of my chest – I had no idea what to expect. Everyone was so lovely though and I was soon made to feel part of the family. My Consultant Vicky and the rest of the group have been what really made the difference for me. Each week – even while we’ve not been able to meet in person, we’ve come together virtually – the group is like a reset button. I always come away buzzing and feeling motivated from other members’ tips or ideas, and when someone is in a hard place we all chip in to help them out. Everyone there knows what it’s like to struggle with your weight and how it affects your self-esteem, it’s that kindness and understanding that’s helped me to understand myself better as a slimmer too.”
Before joining Slimming World Tansy relied heavily on takeaways and fast food meals and enjoyed lots of sugary coffees and lattes with cakes.
After hearing about Slimming World’s Food Optimising eating plan, she began cooking meals from scratch for the whole family and eating more fruit and vegetables. She says: “I used to fill up on rubbish, sometimes to the point of feeling sick. Now I realise that healthy eating isn’t not eating, it’s about the foods you choose and the way you prepare and cook them – I have three balanced meals a day and I love that I can adjust the plan to suit me and the foods me and my family like. Our favourites are cottage pie and beef stew with vegetables. I have such a wide variety of food that I never feel restricted and I’m never hungry! I love using the new Slimming World barcode scanner to help me stay on track when I’m out shopping – it’s a godsend.”
Tansy’s Slimming World group have also inspired her to become more active. She has completed the Couch to 5k and loves BOUNCE, a trampoline fitness class. Best of all though, since dropping to 10st 11lbs and from a dress size 22 to an 8/10, she’s got much more energy to run around after her two 12-year-old twin boys Charlie and Keegan and toddler Harry, two. She says: “At my biggest I didn’t like undressing in front of my partner and I hated looking in the mirror – I didn’t recognise the person looking back at me and felt like I was losing myself. I had joint, back and neck pain, felt tired all the time and often found things uncomfortable at work, such as trying to squeeze onto the small children’s chairs. I was conscious of my weight all the time – every minute of every day. The fear of seeing someone who I hadn’t seen in a while was terrifying as I would just worry about them noticing how much weight I’d put on, so I’d make a joke about it before they could say anything.
Now I love seeing people and they can’t get over how much weight I’ve lost. My partner loves my newfound confidence, and I can give my work 110%. I feel like I have a new lease of life. I never used to know what to wear, but now I love that I can showcase my personality through my clothes and don’t have to worry about wearing bright colours that attract attention – in fact, I like that! People ask if I feel like a new woman but I don’t, I feel like the person I always was on the inside. I used to feel trapped in my body but now I’m set free!” Tansy, who has inspired a colleague to lose 5st and her sister to lose 2st, says: “My advice to anyone wanting to lose weight is to go for it now, because if you don’t, then in a year’s time you’ll only wish you’d started earlier.”

To find out more about losing weight and getting healthier visit https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/