Heartbeat: Slimming World class on site helps improve health and wellbeing

December 3, 2019

She’s helped overweight men and women shed a whopping 896 stone in two years. Now Slimming World consultant Mandy Hill working her magic in our workplace.

The mum of two holds weekly early morning sessions at Sandwell Hospital. Mandy hopes to inspire colleagues and residents to follow in the footsteps of her previous clients. “The total amount of weight lost by my members is phenomenal and I am so proud of every one of them,” she said.

“I have two groups on a Tuesday and members support and encourage each other. No matter what the reason for them walking through the doors, we will help enable them to achieve their dreams.

“The diet lifestyle change is very flexible. It means there are a lot of things you can still eat – like bread, pasta and rice. But it’s also about healthy eating which I know is very high on the agenda at the Trust.”

The sessions also mean a return back to her roots. Mandy used to work at the hospital as a dental nurse and an oral health educator before she was medically retired. Diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis it left her with reduced mobility and sparked her own weight loss journey.

Mandy ballooned to a size 22 and became desperately unhappy. But after joining Slimming World she was able to lose 3.5 stone despite being reluctant to go along.

“I had been really miserable at the time of joining the group,” she explained. “I had put on lots of weight because of my condition and then my husband Tim had to also medically retire as a paramedic when he was involved in an accident at work.

“Tim suggested Slimming World to me. When I went along to my first session I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to lose weight on that diet. But as the weeks went on the pounds kept on slipping off and I started to feel like myself again.”

In October 2017, Mandy was a size 14 and became a Slimming World consultant running groups around West Bromwich. Members were overjoyed with their weight loss results.

“Every week in my sessions there are inspirational stories that people share about their journeys” she said. “Sharing your own story helps to encourage others to realise that they too can achieve. The greatest thing that stops us is a lack of belief in ourselves, but the other members show us that we can.”

The sessions are on every Saturday, starting at 7.30am for colleagues and 8am for members of the public. They take place on the first floor of the Palliative Care Hub, situated behind the antenatal building on Hallam Street.