Melissa lost 3st with Slimming World – while still enjoying life

Melissa Campbell, who lost 3 stone and moved from a size 22 to a size 16 with Slimming World, says the support from her group was incredible. “Sharing experiences, recipes, and ideas made all the difference,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it alone.”

Melissa said that being surrounded by people who understand the ups and downs of weight loss, without guilt or judgement, was vital.

“Each week, I left with fresh motivation, practical tips, and the confidence to keep going. The encouragement of the group and the support from Cathriona (consultant) helped me tackle challenges, rebuild healthier habits, and stay committed.

“I began to develop a deeper understanding of my relationship with food, which enabled me to make choices that suited me better. That weekly accountability was key – you don’t always see your own progress until others point it out, and that kept me pushing forward.”

Melissa says the healthy habits she has built with her group are now second nature and her example has led to her best friend joining too.

“I’ve transformed how I eat, how I think about food, and I’ve made regular activity part of my routine,” she said. “I’m now shining more confident than ever, and for the first time, I truly believe I can maintain my weight loss for life.

“When you’re desperate to lose weight, it’s tempting to chase quick fixes – weight loss injections, pills, surgery, anything that promises instant results,” Melissa says, revealing that in 2019 she used a weight loss injection, but due to shortages at the time, had to come off it.

In November 2024, Melissa decided to return to her local Slimming World Group, in Kinnegad. She has discovered that there’s no magic solution, she admits, adding that lasting weight loss comes from real changes in food, activity, and mindset.

“I’ve discovered that by going to my Slimming World group. Whatever way someone chooses to lose weight, I’d encourage them to get support to make changes and I want them to know they’d never be judged at Slimming World if they joined a group to get that support – I’ve had nothing but kindness and understanding from my group.”

Slimming World consultant Cathriona Tobin says the Food Optimising plan supports members to make changes last. “Our Healthy eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious, everyday food so they lose weight without deprivation, and we have an activity programme that helps members increase how much and how often they move, at their personal pace.

“In our groups, members get behaviour change support that helps them to understand themselves more deeply as slimmers, and to change the way they think about food, activity and their weight.

“With more than 55 years of expertise in helping people lose weight and transform their lives, we believe Slimming World offers the best package when it comes to helping people to adopt healthy habits for life.

“That’s why we’re committed to offering support to everyone, including providing care for members who are taking weight loss drugs alongside attending Slimming World.” See below for more on that topic.