Woman Loses Over Half Her Bodyweight

A woman from Havant's lost more than half her bodyweight, after joining a diet club.

Kim Freshwater joined Slimming World in 2011 after suffering a string of health problems - at the time she weighed 29 stone.

The 44-year-old, from Havant  says: "After my uncle's funeral, I felt I'd let my family down because I wasn't there to support them and I was so upset I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs to watch television and there was a programme on about obese funerals, showing how obese people need special coffins and how difficult it is to cremate their bodies. It was as if someone was trying to tell me something.  I didn't ever want to put my family through that."

Kim's weight problems began at primary school and at just 11 she wore an adult's size 14-16.

Kim's dad passed away in her teens and she turned to food for comfort, which saw her put on more weight. She says: "When my dad died my eating became out of control. He'd always been my best friend and I suppose I used food to fill the hole he left. As I got older, people would always say how pretty I'd be if I lost weight and I did try, but the diets I did were only ever quick fixes; I'd regain all the weight I lost as soon as I stopped."

Kim's now a size 14 after losing a total of 16 stone and has already abseiled 350ft down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, raising £600 for charity.

She says: "Now I'm living life to the full. I'm taking part in days out and activities with my family instead of watching them have fun without me and there's so much I want to do. I feel like the world is my oyster now and I am going to grab every opportunity with both hands."