A Dundee woman says she feels “so much better” after losing six stone in just one year.
Lesley Thomson, 53, joined a weight loss group in Ardler in May 2022.
By May the following year she had reached her goal weight of just over 11 stone – down from more than 17 stone – and has continued to keep the pounds off.
She felt she needed to take action after gaining weight during the Covid lockdowns and seeing photos of herself at her nephew’s wedding.
Dundee hairdresser lost six stone after walking 16,000 steps a day
Lesley, a hairdresser, says she was never unfit – she is on her feet most of the day for work and walks her dog – but knew she had to make a change.
She joined Lighter Weighs with Carole, a weight loss group that runs at Ardler Complex.
Lesley said: “I lost six stone from May 2022 to May 2023 but I still go to the club and keep an eye on it.
“In the past I have lost the weight and then not kept it off.
“Unfortunately, our family have been blessed with the ‘fat gene’ so I have always been overweight.
“But I went to my nephew’s wedding in April last year and when I got the photos back I thought I needed to do something.
“If I set myself a goal I have got to see it through; when I set my mind on something I just go for it.
“I did a lot of walking – did around 10,000 to 16,000 steps a day, every day.
“I had a more structured diet but I still had a takeaway or a meal out for occasions.
“I attended my cousin’s wedding in Glasgow earlier this month and I felt so much better going to this one than the last one, I felt so much more confident.”
Her advice to anyone who wants to follow in her footsteps is: “Make sure you really want to do it.
“Make small goals and even for every half stone treat yourself.
“Don’t say you have X amount of stone to get down to – that can feel too far away.”
Conversation