See grandmother's incredible transformation when she lost 22 stone after being told told by a friend to ‘lose weight or die’

Jackie Pollard, from Washington, has seen her weight drop almost 22st from a starting weight of 32st.

The 53-year-old joined Slimming world when she weighed 22st 4lb and she has now dropped to an amazing 10st 4lb after joining the Oxclose Church Slimming World group in Washington in December 2015.

By August 2019 Jackie had reached her target weight and said goodbye to her old size 30-32 clothes to make way for her healthy size 12-14 tops and 10-12 size jeans.

Jackie said: “I’ve been overweight for all my life.

“Before joining the group my weight impacted on so many aspects of my life.

“I found myself struggling to find clothes to fit that I liked, I was not being able to do simple everyday tasks without feeling tired and out of breath.

“Before I lost weight, I hated having my photo taken and whenever I saw pictures of myself, I did not like what I saw.”

Tragically in 2000 Jackie lost her mum Iris Pollard who died aged just 53 following a series of health problems linked to her weight and then just six months later lost her sister Julie Pollard aged just 36, following a blood clot.

Jackie said she comes from a ‘big family’ with mum Iris weighing 35 stone and sister Julie weighing 32 stone before they sadly passed away.

Mum-of-two Jackie said: “Before joining Slimming World I had started to lose weight with prescribed diet tablets and lost around 10 stone, going from 32st to 22st 4lb.

“But they made me feel sick.

“My friend eventually sat me down and said ‘eat like that all of the time and die, or stop and go on a diet.’

“So I started healthy eating with Slimming World and have never looked back.”

Jackie says she now feels better than ever but said since losing the weight has discovered a number of health issues.

Despite already having mobility issues through other conditions, Jackie said she now has nerve damage in her arms and toes as a result of her former weight.

Losing the weight also enabled her to discover a hernia in her stomach.

But now Jackie’s achievement has been recognised by winning Slimming World’s ‘Club 50’ Award – launched this year to celebrate the company’s 50th birthday – that honours members who have lost an incredible 50% of their starting weight.

Praising her children Dominic and Samantha Pollard, and partner Mark Lowdon for their support, Jackie said: “I’m so proud and happy to win this award.

“I feel like a new woman since losing weight – in fact, I look so different that people who I haven’t seen for a while often can’t believe I’m the same person.

“For me though it’s the change on the inside that’s been the greatest – I’m happier, healthier and much more confident now.”

Jackie’s Slimming World consultant Christine Bateman, who runs the Oxclose Slimming World group, said: “The changes we’ve seen in Jackie are incredible.

“I hope her success will inspire other people who’d like to lose weight by forming new lifestyle habits.”

Diet before:

Breakfast: Nothing.

Lunch: Snacks throughout day on likes of crisps, cakes, biscuits and chocolate.

Dinner: Takeaways and kebabs or ready meals.

Diet after:

Breakfast: Overnight oats or wheatabix with fruit.

Lunch: Skipped if full from breakfast.

Dinner: Home made meals such as salad and chicken or bolognese