Member: Rebecca Wheatley
Age: 44
Height: 5ft 11in
Commencing weight: 24st 6½lbs (156kg)
Weight now: 12st 5lb (77kg)
Weight loss: 12st 1½lb (79kg)
Slimming World Consultant: Lisa Shaw
Group: Hove, Wednesday 11.15am
BEFORE NOW
Despite weighing close on 24½ stone, Rebecca Wheatley enjoyed a successful career as an actress, singer and presenter. She spent four years playing Casualty’s larger-than-life receptionist Amy Howard and was a regular panellist on Loose Women as well as appearing in West End shows like Fame and Bad Girls: The Musical.
Now, the woman who revelled in playing it big is taking centre stage as Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2009 after dropping 12 stone and losing half her body weight. And she’s kept the weight off for nearly two years thanks to Slimming World.
“At a size 32, I was the ultimate unapologetic “big girl”, forever making bold comments about my size, describing myself as the “deluxe model” and proclaiming the typical “big is beautiful” mantra,” says Rebecca.
Overweight even as a child, Rebecca was put on her first diet at just seven years old. Throughout her childhood she remembers her mum struggling with her weight too and trying numerous diets. When Rebecca was 11 she vividly recalls her mum returning from a weight loss club with a papier-mâché pig because she’d gained the most weight that week. Rebecca promised herself then that she wouldn’t spend her life on constant diets and, whatever her size, she’d do well.
“In spite of my weight, I carved a thriving career on the stage in defiance and denial of any criticism,” says Rebecca.
“The turning point came when I had my son Freddie, who’s now six, and got married. I should have been happy, but seeing my wedding pictures was devastating. It took me two weeks to find the courage to open the beautiful wooden box containing the photographs, and when I did there wasn’t a single one I wanted to show people. Despite all my bravado I was ashamed I’d let myself get so big,” says Rebecca.
So, in May 2005, she joined Slimming World. “After my mum’s experience, I’d spent years determined I didn’t need a group to help me lose weight and I’ll be the first to admit that I was still feeling sceptical and defiant. At first I wouldn’t look at or talk to anyone. But as the weight came off I discovered a whole new group of friends and support.
“I couldn’t believe that even when I did have a gain there was no judgement or criticism, just support and reassurance for the fact that I’d gone a little astray but could get back on track. The evidence showed on the scales though, and that was something that was completely in my control. Lisa, my Consultant, and the group were all there to help me get straight back on track without making me feel ‘unworthy’,” says Rebecca.
“Eating and drinking are sensual parts of enjoying life and Slimming World allows me to feel that I can still enjoy my food and never have to feel guilty. I’ve discovered that with my newfound knowledge and the support of the group I can keep the weight off for life.”
“Being named Woman of the Year is a great honour for me. I hope that I’ll be able to inspire anyone out there who’s struggling with their weight to see that there is a healthy way to slim without starving yourself or feeling guilty or even resorting to surgery. And it’s possible to keep it off too.” -Ends-
For further information please contact the Slimming World press office on 01773 546039, 01773 546101 or 01773 546037 or email: public.relations@slimming-world.com
Video footage of Rebecca Wheatley speaking about her weight loss journey will be available at www.slimmingworld.com/woty09 from 1pm today (Tuesday, November 10, 2009)
Rebecca’s diet before and after joining Slimming World
Typical day’s eating before
Breakfast: Nothing
Lunch: White baguette with butter, tuna mayonnaise, salt & vinegar crisps, cappuccino, chocolate bar
Dinner: Lamb passanda cooked with ghee, peshwari naan, rice
Snacks: Coffee cake, coffee creams, cheese and biscuits, chocolate
Drinks: Red wine, cappuccino, vodka
Typical day’s eating now
Breakfast: Fruit and fat free yogurt, poached or boiled eggs and wholemeal toast
Lunch: Chicken salad with cherry tomatoes
Dinner: Salmon, broccoli and swede mash
Snacks: Light cheese with Ryvita, fat free yogurt, fruit
Drinks: Diet coke
REBECCA’S TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SLIMMING
- The most difficult start to anyone’s weight loss journey is turning the negative experience of standing on those scales into a positive experience. The support of my Slimming World Consultant Lisa and the group were crucial to getting through the most difficult times, especially when I had a weight gain.
- When you decide that you’re going to lose weight, write a list of the pros and cons and be sure to make a list of the foods that you can’t live without and build them in to your plan
- Forgive yourself and give yourself permission to enjoy yourself. If I’d thought everything was forbidden I’d have gone off the rails.
- Slimming World Magazine gave me the support and inspiration I needed especially when I was travelling around the country on tour. I read it for recipe and food ideas and the fantastic success stories.
- We’re all emotional eaters, especially women. When I feel pressured or stressed, I know I’m going to eat a lot so I make sure I have plenty of healthy things to hand like fat-free yogurts, fruit, chicken. Foods that I know will make me feel full so I won’t reach for the chocolates or crisps.
- Planning is essential. When I’m on tour I pack a whole basket of healthy “free foods” like fruit, ham, yogurts, low fat cheese, Ryvita minis and Diet Coke. Hunger is the danger, and knowing that I can eat, that I don’t have to go hungry, is what has made me successful in losing weight and keeping it off.
Notes to Editors
· Slimming World is the largest and most advanced slimming organisation in the UK. Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) founded the company in 1969 and there are now 6,000 groups held weekly nationwide via a network of 2,500 Slimming World trained Consultants.
· In 2009 Slimming World celebrates its 40th Anniversary and four decades of helping people to lose weight without deprivation, guilt or hunger.
· 300,000 members attend Slimming World every week and achieve outstanding success.
· Members lose 17,857 stones every week: 2,551 stones every day, over 106 stones every hour, that’s 1 stone 10 lbs lost every minute of every day with Slimming World.
· Slimming World pioneered Slimming World on Referral in the UK and actively supports the building of partnerships with the NHS and local authorities to develop effective strategies to manage overweight and obesity in the community. Slimming World works with university researchers and specialists in an active research programme to further knowledge of the causes and treatment of obesity.
· Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, and the principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people. Slimming World integrates practical, up-to-date dietary advice with a highly developed support system.
· Slimming World Consultants receive specific training in dietary aspects and the role of physical activity in weight control. The highly developed training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a group environment, acknowledged by experts as being the most effective way to support long-term weight management.
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