Slimming World helps Swindon slimmer Eddie drop pounds (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon slimmer Eddie Hope drops pounds to be the Miss Slinky

1:26pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News By Emma Dunn

AFTER losing seven-and-a-half stones in 10 months, Eddie Hope is just two thirds of the man he used to be.

The 55-year-old, of Stratton, weighed in at 21st 6lbs this time last year, but has managed to shed the pounds after joining Slimming World.

The father-of-two, who was in the RAF until 1993, was struggling with every day tasks when he joined the slimming group last February.

“I had a big dose of sensibility knocked into me. I couldn’t walk upstairs properly or even do my shoes up. I woke up and thought ‘I am 55, I’m not getting any younger and I am going to be checking out soon if I am not careful’,” he said.

Eddie, who is a manager in telecommunications at Vodafone, joined the Stratton group of Slimming World, which his two daughters were already members of.

“They had been encouraging me for the last two years. I decided today is the day,” he said.

“Having plucked up the courage to join the group I was met by the consultant, given an outline of the plan, my book, card and contact numbers and finally weighed.

“At the end of the first week I remember losing 6lbs but more importantly I felt alert and alive inside, I was not constantly tired or run down and this was after the first week, it was then that I thought this plan might actually work for me,” he said.

Eddie ditched shop bought sandwiches, cakes biscuits and milky coffee drinks, which saved him £45 in the first week minus the £4.95 for Slimming World.

In later weeks, Eddie won several slimmer of the week awards as well as awards for weight loss. He was delighted in May, when he had lost 3st 6lbs, and he could sit in an aeroplane seat without having to use an extension seatbelt.

He put on 4lbs on on holiday but after he started using kettle bells the weight started dropping off again.

He has now joined a walking club and taken up running.

“Without a doubt the exercise regime has improved my weight loss, added to my general level of fitness and toned my body so that I have avoided any sagging skin,” he said.

“I am completely hooked on the Slimming World plan as a life-changing mechanism to help me for the rest of my life to maintain a healthy weight.

“From the moment I joined I have had the full support of my slimming world consultant, Steve Ireland, who has always been so encouraging to me and all the members of the groups he runs.”

Eddie has lost 102lbs, been slimmer of the week nine times, slimmer of the month three times, been awarded the seven stone award, won the man of the year for group and won the Miss Slinky of the year award for the group.

For more information on the weight loss classes visit www.slimmingworld.com