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Lisburn woman Natasha Stewart has shed over eight stone with the support of a local group and is encouraging other people who want to lose weight to take the plunge.

Natasha has always struggled with her weight and has tried many different diets since she was a teenager.

Now at the age of 28 she is almost at her target weight thanks to the support of a Slimming World group and consultant Christine Young.

“In January 2023 I walked through the doors of a Slimming World group,” Natasha explained. “I felt nervous, was lacking in confidence and not sure if it was going to work for me because of the amount of times previously I had tried to lose weight but couldn’t stick to anything.

Natasha was a size 22/24 but less than two years later she has shed over eight stone. Pic credit: Contributed by Natasha Stewart

"My Consultant Christine and the fellow members welcomed me with such an understanding of the journey I was about to begin.”

It was a snap decision for Natasha to join the group and she wasn’t prepared but she knew it was time for a change.

“After Christine had explained Slimming Worlds Food Optimising and activity programmes I was filled with hope, excitement, and an eagerness to get started,” Natasha continued.

“I stood on the scales and was horrified to see my weight was 20 stone 4.5lbs. I knew in a split second that I wasn’t going to see that number again.”

Natasha is almost at her target weight having lost over eight stone with the help of Slimming World. Pic credit: Contributed by Natasha Stewart

The diet certainly wasn’t easy at the start but with determination and support of the group it soon became second nature and is now a way of life for Natasha.

"My first month was the most challenging,” she admitted. “The changes I made were significant.

"By the end of the first month I had lost 1 stone 7 lbs. Not once was I hungry or restricted from eating food and I had so much more energy and could already fell and see the benefits of my food choices.”

In less than a year Natasha has lost an incredible six stone and she decided to join a gym to give herself that extra push towards her target weight.

“I didn’t have a clue what I was doing so signed up for a number of classes,” she continued. “I also trained with a personal trainer for six months because I really started to enjoy the gym.”

Thanks to the new exercise regime and the Slimming World food optimising plan Natasha has now lost over eight stone and is just a few pounds away from her target weight.

"I have spent most of my life being overweight and never did I think when I joined than in less than two years I would have lost over eight stone eating the way I am and exercising.

“Attending my Slimming World group each week is what got me there. I could never have done this on my own. I am very close to my chosen target weight and am feeling so good about myself and what I have achieved.”

Stephen gets his running shoes on to raise money for Lisburn Cathedral

Christine Young praised Natasha for her commitment to her weightloss journey.

“I am so proud of what she has achieved,” she said.

"From day one of joining she had so much belief in our plan and herself.

"Hearing the success other members in her group were achieving made her determined that she also could make changes and form new habits."

Natasha sheds over eight stone thanks to the support of her local Slimming World group