With just seven weeks untill Christmas you may be thinking, New Year, New Me.

You might also be thinking: 'I will wait till January and then I will try and lose weight, there is no point starting now, I can't achieve anything in that time.'

Well we would love to introduce Alex.

Alex joined Amanda's Thursday morning Slimming World group eight weeks ago. In eight weeks she has lost more than two stone.

Find out a little more about Alex's incredible start to her journey.

Alex is 39, and a Special Needs Teacher she has recently moved back to Letchworth and has taken some time out of work to focus on her health.

Alex has had lots of health struggles (long covid, crohn's disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, being investigated for Lupus etc) since she had Covid badly in Jan 2021.

Many of these things people believe make it impossible to lose weight. Alex continues to say her "weight has yo-yo-ed due to illness, medication, steroids, hospital stays, not able to be active." 

"This is my second Slimming World journey," Alex explains, adding: "Although I had some success last time, I saw it as a short term fix, and a way to 'look better'.

"In August this year when I moved back to Letchworth, I had some serious conversations with my family and genuinely accepted that this was now about my health.

"I know that SW is all about using real ingredients, becoming more active, and having the support of others to understand our own journeys and what might help us. And a great, positive, enthusiastic leader too (thank you Amanda)."

Amanda sees her role to support members and knows it is common for members to leave and return and there is never any judgement in returning to group.

This is one of the reasons for the incredible offer Amanda has at her groups (Wednesdays 530pm & 7pm at 8th Letchworth Scout Hut, Sparhawke. Thursdays 9am & 1030am, Saturdays 830am at the Central Methodist Church Hall, Pixmore Way) at the moment welcoming all previous members back to group without having to pay a joining fee.  

Alex talks about why Slimming World has helped her on her journey.

"Amanda is such a positive, enthusiastic, caring, understanding and helpful ball of energy. Thank you," says Alex.

"It encourages me to remember that I like cooking and healthy food, and being more active. I just need support, encouragement and motivation to do that. 

"My mum and sister make amazing homemade soups. They check in with me to make sure they are making it Food Optimising friendly, and it's nice to enjoy all the different vegetables as they come into season - we really benefit from my sister's family allotment."

Alex comments that before starting slimming world she was unable to walk for half an hour without feeling out of breath.

Alex says: "Having been a keen - if slow - runner before Covid, I am enjoying getting into body magic, and have decided to use walking as my way back into getting the health benefits of being more active.

"I like spending time with my Mum, brothers, sisters and wonderful nieces and nephews - a walk on Norton Common with my sister and nieces is my favourite body magic. I can now Walk for half an hour and still be able to talk."

Before joining Amandas Slimming World group on a Thursday morning Alex says that she "felt very down as I knew I was not myself [but] In just eight weeks I can see and feel the positive benefits.

"I've come off my prescription painkillers as my joints feel better and I'm able to move more."

As with any weightloss journey it is not all plain sailing there are times and challenges that need to be overcome.

When asking Alex if she had any challenges she talked about the change in mindset that she has adopted "accepting that it was a positive to begin this new journey - it is not a failure from my last journey, it is knowing where I am now and knowing what I need - Slimming World and Slimming World support - to help my health and happiness."

Alex's tips for today are: "Start now. Join a group. Find people who share your goal.

"Think about what you can do, not what you can't do, don't be embarrassed, be proud you've decided to try, and start again whenever you need to."

Alex leaves us with words of inspiration.

"A dream is only a dream until you turn it into a goal. After that it's only a matter of planning and action before it becomes reality."

To find out more about this offer or any other offers available please ring Amanda on 07815305950.

Slimming World's Transformation Tuesday. Alex's story