For years, I thought losing weight had to mean giving up the foods I loved and cooking separate meals for myself, while the rest of the family tucked into something tastier. Even so, I never stopped searching for the answer. I tried diet after diet, always hoping the next would be the one that finally worked. Through it all, my husband, Samir, was right beside me, encouraging me every step of the way. 

After our son, Jai, was born in 2014, I decided to train as a police officer. I knew the job would be physically demanding, and that I’d struggle if I didn’t lose some weight. Slimming World was the one thing I hadn’t tried and it felt like the right time to take the plunge. As a new mum, the support, friendship and encouragement I found at my local group made such a difference, and I went on to lose 2st (12.7kg). 

When our daughter, Mila, was born in 2018, Samir and I finally had the family we’d dreamed of. Instead of enjoying every moment, though, I often felt held back by my weight. As a mum of two, I was constantly exhausted and struggled to keep up with family life. 

Then, just as I returned to work after an extended maternity leave, the pandemic hit and I spent a year in a desk-based role. When I returned to frontline duties in 2021, reality hit hard. I could barely fasten my kit belt, and I’d already failed my fitness test. It was the last straw.  

Later that evening, I stepped on the scales and came face to face with the truth I’d been avoiding. My weight had climbed to 20st 10½lbs (131.7kg). 

‘I know I’ve said it before, but I really mean it this time,’ I told Samir as we got ready for bed. ‘I’ve got to lose weight, and I’m going to do it properly.’ 

I managed to lose a stone on my own, but deep down I knew I needed more support if I was going to make lasting changes. I remembered how well Food Optimising had worked for me in the past, and how simple it had been to follow alongside my vegan lifestyle. Unlike the diets I’d tried, I’d never felt deprived.

The challenge was fitting Slimming World around the demands of policing. I knew I needed the accountability of a weekly group, but with my shift pattern changing from week to week, I wasn’t sure how I’d make it work. 

My new Consultant, Katherine, couldn’t have been more supportive. ‘You know you’ll be welcomed at any Slimming World group, any day, any time?’ she said, as she privately weighed me at the end of my first group session. ‘Lots of my shift workers drop into a different group when they can’t make this one.’ It was a simple piece of advice, but it proved to be a game-changer for me. 

Fitting Food Optimising around work and family life turned out to be much easier than I’d expected. We swapped our chip shop dinners for quick, filling meals like spaghetti bolognese and Mexican taco bowls made with vegan mince. Samir did much of the cooking and, at first, he wasn’t convinced that his beloved Indian curries, dhals and sharing platters could be adapted to fit in with my weight loss journey. 

That all changed when we decided to experiment with samosas, one of our family’s favourite treats and a must-have at celebrations like Bonfire Night and Diwali. Instead of frying them in oil, we cooked the vegetables and spices using 1 cal cooking spray, swapped traditional maida dough for lighter filo pastry, and baked them in the oven. They were delicious and proved that I didn’t have to give up the foods we loved to make healthier choices. 

Recently, I took another exciting step, leaving the police to become a Slimming World District Manager. Now I support managers and Consultants across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire to help members achieve the same freedom and confidence I’ve found myself. 

Sometimes, I think about the woman who walked back into group feeling unhappy and overwhelmed by her weight. She would never have believed the opportunities that lay ahead of her. By being brave enough to make some changes, I’ve not only transformed my own future, but helped create a happier, healthier one for my family, too. And that makes me incredibly proud.