Drumahoe’s Gary shows how to shed the student stones

Eighty per cent of students put on the pounds at university but one local student Gary Watson has bucked that trend by joining his local slimming group in Drumahoe.

Gary, now in his final year at Uni, hasn’t looked back since joining Slimming World.

He eats as much as he wants of all the great free foods like potatoes, pasta, chicken, rice and lean meat and says he’s never hungry. 

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Gary, with a fantastic weight loss of 1 stone 7lbs loves his local Slimming group at the Belfray – and his consultant Tracy Friel says the group just love him too – he is so supportive and helpful to everyone.

A new study of 1,055 current and former students by Slimming World found that 82 per cent of people put on weight during their time at university, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) gaining between one and two stones.

Gary’s consultant Tracy says: “Obesity doesn’t just affect people when they get older, it’s a problem for people of all ages, and we’re seeing more and more young people struggling.

“Some are so severely overweight that it’s affecting their physical health and mental wellbeing.

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“It has a huge impact on their self-esteem and confidence and it’s heart-breaking to see young people feeling unhappy and ashamed of themselves.

“That’s why it’s so very important that they get the right support to lose weight, so they enjoy good health and feel great as they become adults.

“It’s no surprise that many students start to gain weight at uni,” Tracy adds. “Heading off to study away from home is a really key time because, without mum and dad to cook for you, you become responsible for your own eating habits for the first time and there’s often a really busy social scene too.

“At Slimming World we treat everyone – whatever their age – like an adult.

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“Instead of telling people what to do or what to eat we equip them with the skills to cook simple and satisfying meals that don’t have to cost the earth, and to make healthy choices that fit in with their lives without them having to miss out on having fun.”

The Belfray Slimming World group, which Tracy runs, is held every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

To join simply pop along or to find out more call Tracy on 07722433456.

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