Sunderland woman sheds four stone to wear target dress at daughter's wedding and to make mam happy
“I knew it would make her happy”
A woman from Houghton-le-Spring has lost four stone in a bid to make her deceased mother happy and to be able to wear her new dress at her daughter’s wedding.
Hayley Stoker, 59, said she has always carried “too much weight” since her childhood, but it was the death of her mother in November 2023 which proved to be the catalyst for her to shed the pounds.
Legal executive Hayley said: “I know my mam used to worry about my weight and health and after she passed away I decided I needed to lose the weight for her - I knew it would make her happy.”
In April 2024, Hayley enrolled in Slimming World’s Peterlee group where she replaced unhealthy snacking habits with a diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables.
And it wasn’t long before Hayley was given an additional incentive to shed the pounds.
She added: “It was in July of the same year that my daughter announced she was engaged and was getting married. I bought the dress I liked, which was too small for me at the time, but I wanted that incentive to lose the weight to fit into it.
“I wanted be able to wear the dress I liked at the wedding and to look good in the photographs.
“With the help of Slimming World, I now have a much healthier diet and do regular exercise, walking 20,000 steps every day.”
Successful in her quest, Hayley was able to wear her dress at the wedding after losing four stone in weight.
She said: “I feel so much better than I did when I was carrying the extra weight. I’ve learnt that I can still go on holiday and enjoy myself and get any extra weight off when I return home.”
Hayley has urged anyone struggling with their weight to sign up to a Slimming World group.
She said: “I couldn’t have lost my weight without the support of Slimming World. I had tried all different diets, and nothing had worked.
“The people at the Peterlee group I attend are now my friends and we are so supportive of each other.”