When Dundee mum Sheryl Fraser saw photographs of herself taken from her nephew’s first day at primary school she was shocked at how big she looked.
It was this moment in August 2023 that prompted her to start thinking about losing weight.
Sheryl, 48, then had a conversation about it with her older sister Amanda Shirkey.
Amanda, 51, shared that she too wanted to shed some extra pounds.
So they decided to support each other by starting a diet together.
“After talking about it we thought we would just start a diet at the same time and do it from home,” Sheryl says.
“But Amanda wanted to do it through a club because she said she wouldn’t be able to stick to it by just doing it herself.
“So I went online and had a look to see if I could see a local slimming group which was close by.”
The club helped the sisters to achieve great results.
Since joining the two Dundee sisters, who both live in Fintry, have lost an incredible 12 stone in weight between them.
They have both made changes to their eating habits and have vowed to stick to them – feeling happier and healthier as a result.
Dundee sisters’ weight loss – Sheryl’s story
When Sheryl started her weight-loss journey over a year ago she weighed 17 stone 10lbs.
The civil servant reveals it was seeing photos of herself taken at her nephew Jaxon’s first day at Fintry Primary which made her decide to lose weight.
“It was our other sister Claire’s son’s first day at school and we had some family photos taken.
“But when I saw the photos of me afterwards, I hated them,” she confesses.
“I thought I need to do something about this.”
The mum-of-one says she has tried many diets throughout her adult life but none of them have worked.
Although Sheryl admits to feeling nervous about going to the club for the first time, she says it was easier having her sister there with her.
“I definitely helped having Amanda there with me – we both felt the same – and it was nice being able to to it together.”
What did Sheryl eat before joining a weight loss club?
Before she embarked on her weight-loss journey Sheryl says she ate the wrong foods at the wrong time of day.
“I never used to eat breakfast – I would just get up, go to work and wouldn’t eat until 11am,” she explains.
“Then when I did eat it would be something like a bacon roll.
“For lunch I would have a baked potato.
“But I would have dinner too late at night – usually between 7 and 9pm.
“Then I would eat all the wrong things like processed food/microwave meals and chips.
“I also ate a lot of crisps, biscuits, would drink full fat coke and eat lots of takeaways like McDonalds and Chinese.”
How did Sheryl’s diet change to lose weight?
Since joining a club, Sheryl has a slice of wholemeal toast with a little raspberry jam or a banana for breakfast.
And she drinks tea with no sugar.
“In the morning, lunchtime and tea-time I will also have a satsuma and a mini apple.
“For lunch I will have a slice of toast with ham, an apple and an orange.
“And for dinner I will have chicken breast with vegetables. But sometimes I change the meat so it could be steak, chops, gammon or chicken.
“I might have a fromage frais after that and will drink sugar-free juice.”
Sheryl says Amanda also makes them homemade lentil soup which they will both have twice a week for dinner.
The change in diet has resulted in Sheryl losing over seven stone in weight.
She continues: “My target was 11 stone and I now weigh 10 stone 8.5lbs.
“I feel much better in myself now and I have more energy. It has totally changed my life.”
Dundee sisters’ weight loss – Amanda’s story
When Amanda joined the club in Dundee she weighed 13 stone 8lbs.
“I was fed up looking at myself and seeing how much weight I had put on,” she explains.
“I spoke to Sheryl and asked her if there were any clubs we could go to. She found the one in Fintry and we just went from there.”
Amanda says this is the first time in her life she has had to go on a diet.
“I have always been around the 8 stone mark but in recent years the weight has just crept on,” she says.
“I did it to myself though – I was eating chocolate bar after chocolate bar in bed late at night.
“I didn’t realise the weight I was putting on.”
How did Amanda lose the weight?
Following the weight-loss plan, Amanda started eating Weetabix with semi-skimmed milk for breakfast with a ham sandwich and tomato for lunch followed by a banana or satsuma.
For dinner she will have ham, chicken or steak with vegetables.
And at around 8pm she will have a cup of tea with some grapes.
She mainly drinks tea or water.
“I will sometimes have a slimming bar as a snack,” she says.
“But I haven’t eaten a bar of chocolate since I started
“I also haven’t had any takeaways since then either.”
Amanda, who has epilepsy and asthma, now weighs 8 stone 9lbs.
And she says her breathing has improved since she lost the weight.
“I have lost five stone and I am amazed by it myself because I never ever thought I would be able to do it.
“My mindset has now changed and I never ever want to look the way I did again.”
Dundee sisters supported each other’s weight loss
Sheryl and Amanda continue to go to the Slimming World club in Fintry.
Consultant Rhonda Mitchell, hosts the club every Wednesday to help keep them both on track and ensure they don’t slip up.
And they continue going together as they feel having the sisterly support has kept them motivated.
“I don’t think either one of us would have been able to do it on our own,” Sheryl says.
“I am really proud of my big sister because she has stuck to this and never given up. She has done amazing.”
Amanda says: “If it wasn’t for Sheryl doing it with me, I know for a fact I wouldn’t have been able to do this.
“Sheryl was struggling a lot with her weight and her confidence as a result.
“But since the two of us have done this together, she looks great.
“I am really proud of her.”
She adds: “I would never ever have thought I would have been able to lose weight.
“But with the support of my sister I have been able to do it which is amazing.”
Conversation