Mum sheds more than one third of her bodyweight after daughter's desperate plea

Mum sheds more than one third of her bodyweight after daughter's desperate plea Ally Wainman says she used to eat 'huge amounts of sugary or greasy foods' before being consumed with guilt afterwards A healthcare worker who gained weight after being diagnosed with a lung tumour has lost an amazing 7st following a desperate plea from her daughter. Ally Wainman, 55, lost weight after daughter Chloe, now 29, begged her to look after her health because she wanted her mum to be ‘around for as long as possible’. “I’ll never forget the way Chloe looked at me when she gently suggested that I should try to lose some weight,” says Ally, from Warwickshire. “I know it can be hard to hear sometimes, but it was genuinely coming from a place of love. I’d had a tough few years fighting cancer – followed by the death of my beloved Dad – so prioritising myself had really taken a back seat. “I knew I had an unhealthy relationship with food. I used it as a comfort – eating huge amounts of sugary or greasy foods and then feeling awful and guilty afterwards. I’m quite petite at 5ft 4ins, so weighing 18st 8lbs took a huge toll on my body, especially my knees and hips. “Our family had been through so much – I knew I couldn’t have Chloe worrying about how long I’d be around, especially when I’d already lost one of my lungs. I decided to visit my doctor to see what weight loss options were available to me.” Ally was offered a 12-week referral to her local Slimming World group – which she believes changed her relationship with food forever. She says: “I knew a friend who’d got on well with Slimming World, so I figured I had nothing to lose – especially as I’d been referred by my GP so I trusted that it would be a healthy and sustainable way to lose weight. I was so nervous on my first night, but it happened to be my consultant Jacquie’s first night in group too, so we got each other through those first-day jitters.” Ally, who also has a 33-year-old son called Joshua and works at a private hospital in Birmingham, soon got to grips with Slimming World's healthy eating plan . She says: “I’d tried lots of diets in the past and once lost three stone in three months on a shake diet. "Four months later, I’d put it all back on. What I loved about Slimming World was that the food was just normal everyday things – spaghetti Bolognese, curries, stews, baked potatoes… it was so easy to stick with it. And because there were no big extremes, I lost weight steadily and easily without obsessing over food every minute of the day. “The group support was also something totally new for me. I was used to losing weight alone – so to be surrounded by people who were all on the same journey made the whole experience much more enjoyable. I’ve since moved away from the area, but I love Jacquie and my group so much that I commute the 40 minutes each way for my weekly dose of support and inspiration. "Everyone there is just amazing and has helped me through so much. I learned I’d easily go off track if I didn’t have a meal planned for when I got home from work – so I started keeping a stash of meals from the Slimming World range at Iceland in the freezer, which helped no end.” Part-way through her journey, Ally was told she needed a hip replacement. She says: “I’d lost a fair bit of weight, around six stone, yet my hip still caused me a lot of pain and needed replacing. I told the surgeon that I wanted to be dancing in my high heels afterwards. Well, just three months later, I was! I have no doubt that being lighter aided my recovery. I was prepared for it to take a while but honestly, I breezed through it. “As well as all the dancing, I’m more active now than I ever have been. Slimming World’s active lifestyle programme helped me think about how I could weave exercise into my everyday life. I used to avoid stairs because of the pain it would cause for my joints – but now I can run up a set of stairs – sometimes even two at a time.” Ally continues: “I feel like a different person. I’ve gone from someone who hid away at home to the first one on the dance floor, especially if I hear a bit of Beyonce. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my amazing Slimming World group – their tips, support and love have helped me enormously. Staying to my group each week has been the key thing for me – that’s my top tip for sure. “These days I’m looking forward to the future – I don’t know what lies ahead but I know I’ll be dancing along whatever happens – in really fabulous shoes.” And Chloe couldn’t be prouder of her mum’s new zest for life. She says: “I’m so glad I had that conversation with Mum about her weight. It wasn't an easy one but seeing how much her life has changed makes it all worth it. "She's happier, healthier and so much more confident. Joshua and I call it her ‘life glow-up’ because she genuinely shines now. We're incredibly proud of everything she's achieved.” Before menu: Breakfast: Big bowl of sugary cereal with milk Lunch: A canteen lunch of a panini or burger with chips Dinner: Shepherd’s pie with a few slices of bread and butter Snacks: Sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes After menu: Breakfast: Fat-free Greek yogurt with fruit Lunch: A large homemade salad with cold meats, pickles and a low-fat dressing Dinner: A frozen meal from Slimming World’s range at Iceland, such as Marry Me Chicken Pasta Snacks: Slimming World Hi-Fi bars, meringue with yogurt and fruit, rice cakes, grapes