40th birthday party photos trigger Derbyshire Police Community Support Officer's desire to beat weight problem

When Bev Barnes looked at photos of herself at her 40th birthday party, she hated what she saw.
By Gay Bolton
Published 6th Mar 2024, 11:03 BST
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Her weight had ballooned to 19 stone and the pictures made her realise that she had to get it under control. Two days after her party, she joined Slimming World and within 14 months had shed 5st 1lb.

Bev, a lifelong resident of Crich, said: "I have struggled all my life with my weight and my weight has been up and down for years. My weight really started to increase to the highest it’s ever been after my Mum took poorly in July 2022 and then subsequently dying in the August. I was having takeaways whilst I was looking after her as I didn’t have time to cook and then after she died I guess along with the grief I fell into a slump and carried on eating takeaways and snacks and all the other things that are bad for you.

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"I was having to buy clothes is a size 22 – something that I’d never done before. I didn’t like the fact that I could no longer just walk into a shop to buy clothes as they didn’t do them in larger sizes."

Before and after photos show the transformation in Bev Barnes who has lost 5st 1lb in 14 months.Before and after photos show the transformation in Bev Barnes who has lost 5st 1lb in 14 months.
Before and after photos show the transformation in Bev Barnes who has lost 5st 1lb in 14 months.

Bev, who is a Police Community Support Officer, began her weight loss journey with Slimming World at Ripley in January 2023. She said: “The role involves a lot of walking which is something I struggled to do before joining Slimming World. I am now very active, do lots of walking and I have joined a gym which is something that I would never have done before. The biggest challenge is working shifts. It means that some weeks I have to go to alternative groups, however every group is very welcoming.”

Slimming World’s food optimisation programme means that top-choice dishes don’t have to be sacrificed.

Bev, 41, said: “Spaghetti bolognese is one of my favourite meals and I can still have this, all I do is make the sauce myself rather than using a jar. By making the sauce yourself, you know what you are eating. Family are very supportive and when I do visit them for meals they always adapt what they are cooking so it fits in with my plan.”

To find your nearest Slimming World group, go to www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Related topics:Ripley