Lillington woman loses 14 stone to win Slimming World award

Being the best at losing wouldn’t normally help you to scoop an award - yet one Lillington lady has done just that after being named the town’s ‘Greatest Loser’ 2018.
Sue Summerton before and after she lost 14 stone with the Lillington Slimming World group.Sue Summerton before and after she lost 14 stone with the Lillington Slimming World group.
Sue Summerton before and after she lost 14 stone with the Lillington Slimming World group.

Sue Summerton lost a life-changing 14st to take the title, which is awarded to the member of the award winning group at Lillington primary school Slimming World who has lost the most weight and feels fabulous as a result.

Sue, who has gone from 26 to 12, stone said: “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a loser when it feels this good.

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“I feel like a new woman since losing weight – in fact, I look so different that people who I haven’t seen for a while often can’t believe I’m the same person.

Amy Lee and Sue SummertonAmy Lee and Sue Summerton
Amy Lee and Sue Summerton

“For me though it’s the change on the inside that’s been the greatest – I’m happier, healthier and much more confident now.”

The proud grandmother joined the Lillington group, which is run by Amy Lee, in May 2017.

Sue said: “My weight impacted on so many aspects of my life, from struggling to find clothes that I like to fit to not being able to do simple everyday tasks and even walking was a struggle without feeling tired and out of breath.

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At my biggest I was hospitalised and told something must change.

“Before I lost the weight I hated having my photo taken and whenever I saw pictures of myself I knew that my smile wasn’t real – yet now I’m beaming.”

Sue’s weight was also putting a huge strain on her health meaning she was having to take dozens of pills daily.

People who are severely overweight, with a BMI* above 30, are more likely to suffer from health problems like coronary heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer, and obesity is linked to a reduction in life expectancy of between seven and nine years.

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Having heard that the Lillington group is run by a consultant qualified in the latest training, Sue decided to join.

She said: “Walking through those doors was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,

“I was embarrassed about my size and scared that I might be the biggest person there.

“I needn’t have worried though, everyone there was so friendly especially Amy and I was so relieved when I found out that my weight was confidential – I’d had visions of having to tell everyone how much I weighed.”

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Sue followed the club’s food optimising eating plan and swapped quick snacks for home cooked healthy meals.

She said: “People think slimming means going hungry, eating nothing but salad or obsessively counting every calorie you eat - it’s not like that at all with Slimming World.

“I love food and I’ve never once felt like I was on ‘a diet’ – in fact, people are always surprised at how much food I have on my plate and can’t believe I’m losing weight.”

The Lillington group has sessions every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.