Sunderland couple see their lives 'totally changed' after shedding nearly 10 stone with the help of Slimming World

During Covid lockdowns, Catherine Dennis saw her weight balloon to 19 stone 13lbs while husband Reuben saw his weight rise to 14 stone 3lbs.

Catherine, 68, said: “At the age of 55 I was diagnosed with lipoedema, which causes a build-up of fat cells, and so I’ve always carried too much weight.

“However, during lockdowns myself and Reuben ended up eating the wrong things to cheer ourselves up and we even took up baking to give ourselves something to do.”

Catherine had been wanting to join Slimming World to tackle her weight for some time, but it was a development in managing Reuben’s Type 2 diabetes that proved to be the catalyst for the couple to join City Life Slimming World in Millfield in August last year (2023).

Catherine added: “Reuben was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1998, but we were really struggling to control his blood sugar levels and we decided we needed to do something about it.

“Reuben’s doctor was going to prescribe an additional tablet which has some unpleasant side effects and so we decided to do something about it ourselves and enrolled at Slimming World.”

With the help of her classes and group consultant Alan, Catherine has lost 6 stone 7lbs and seen her weight plummet to 13 stone 6lbs, while Reuben has hit his target weight of 11 stone.

Reuben, 71, said: “I feel 100% better. I no longer get out of breath and my diabetes is now under control.

“I used to have to have an injection each week, which I no longer need, and the medication I was on has been halved.”

Catherine added: “I feel so much better now, both physically and mentally, but I couldn’t have done it without the help of Slimming World.”

The couple now enjoy a much healthier diet of soups, salads and low fat sandwiches for lunch, and meat or fish with “lots of different vegetables” for dinner.

Reuben said: “When I joined, I knew little about Slimming World and was delighted to know that you can eat anything, making slight changes to the way you shop, cook and eat. 

“Most  meals can be adapted to fit the Food Optimising Plan, such as a full cooked English breakfast with bacon eggs tomatoes beans and tomatoes, all now grilled or cooked using Frylight. 

“My favourite meal is chicken stir fry which is very tasty and very filling. My wife and I eat the same foods and we support each other in our journeys.

“Whenever we have visitors, we all eat the same, as its just normal healthy food.“

Catherine hopes their story can help to inspire other people who may be struggling with their weight and associated health conditions.

She said: “I would urge people to join a group and to go every week. It has totally changed our lives.”

You can find out further details about Slimming World Sunderland on their website.