Super slimmer Irene Scotland has set an inspiring example for anyone with a weight on their mind over a resolution for 2020.
Almost seven years after suffering a devastating stroke, the Forfar 60-year-old has won the battle of the bulge to shed almost seven stone.
The remarkable journey back to health and happiness has brought new-found confidence for Irene, who barely left her home before she signed up to the Forfar Slimming World group where she lost an astonishing five stone in her first year with the group.
Her continued weight loss has seen Irene drop from 16st 6lbs to a trim 9st 9lbs, winning Miss Slinky and Woman of the Year awards as well as a place in the slimming group’s Scottish final in September.
Irene said: “Seven years ago in February I suffered a stroke and had to relearn to do everything, from boiling a kettle to cooking a meal.
“I was depressed, exhausted and hardly went out of the house. When I did go out I hid in the background and didn’t like what I saw in the mirror.”
She added: “I saw Slimming World at the local farmers’ market but even then it took me a few months to get up the courage to go along to the group and I walked in on my own, which was hard.
“I was very nervous, but made to feel at home straight away and from there I just set about getting to my target, even though it was a lot of weight to lose.
“I wanted to lose five stone and I managed to do that just a week before I had been in the group for a year,” added Irene.
She went on to lose another two stone to hit her dream target weight and has remained there for more than a year, faithfully stepping on to the scales at Forfar’s West End Social Club during the group’s regular meetings there.
Irene said: “People will be thinking about losing weight for their New Year resolution and I would say to them to just go for it.
“After my stroke I struggled to do the simplest of things so the determination to do that and get to my target weight kept me going.
Irene also recently found love and got engaged to fiancée Jake Byrne on her 60th birthday.
“My Slimming World consultant Gill Carter was very motivational and that really helped me all the way through,” she added.
Gill said of her local success story: “Irene’s become more active, confident and recently got engaged so I can’t wait to see what 2020 holds for her and she is ready to embrace new things.”
