I joined Unislim on 10th January 2006. I felt frumpy, very fat and a bit of a fraud as I’d just gained a PhD in Exercise Physiology just before Christmas 2005. I thought I had to start practising what I preached as I felt people were looking at me and saying ‘What does she know? She’s overweight’. I had stopped going out with my friends and had given up on buying clothes because not even ‘fat clothes’ fitted or indeed suited me. I still competed in my hobby of dog obedience and agility, but only because I was able to wear loose baggy clothing – which didn’t really show my dogs off to their full potential – but I could hide behind the loose waterproofs and baggy trousers – and that’s what I did. What took the biscuit (literally) was being in hospital for a ‘girlie’ complaint and was told ‘Well, you are grossly overweight’ and also I knew that surgery was much more potentially dangerous for someone my size. Plus the concern was that my condition was somehow exacerbated by my weight. I knew that I had to lose it now, or never.

Since joining Unislim in January 2006, and consequently losing 67 lbs (to date), the change has been unbelievable. I was always fit, active and slim in my younger days, but the pressures of a PhD and some family traumas had all added to my ‘excuse’ of overeating. I have to say that my zest, energy for life, confidence and living outside the 4 walls of my house has been totally increased. I now want to be out and about and ‘seen’ by others, whereas before, I hid in the car or the house itself as people kept saying ‘isn’t it a shame how Jillian has let herself go’. I know they didn’t mean to be hurtful but, the truth hurts as they say.

It is now lovely to go places and be told that you look more like the ‘young you’ from years ago. In fact, one lady I know very well, said it was almost like ‘the old Jillian has unzipped her skin, and out has stepped this new, vibrant Jillian!’. Of course, the compliments received, keep you going for the next bit of weight loss you want to achieve. I now want to go out with my friends, and instead of being persuaded and cajoled to go out, I am the one instigating the going out!

My own fitness level has improved dramatically, nearly back to the younger fitter version lol, and the dogs are enjoying me wanting to go out and walk more – I try and walk every day and more at weekends if possible. The dogs have enjoyed renewed success in their training, because, especially with agility, you need to be running at a good pace to keep your dog going, and I can now keep up more easily and am sometimes ahead! The obedience too depends on how you and your dog look as a team, and a slimmer handler (and dog too, she’s been forced to eat more healthy!) look better together as a team.

Since I decided the lose some weight, I thought a change of image had to come about too, so I ditched the blonde highlights and went back to my darker roots. I still haven’t got round to getting that whole new wardrobe yet, because I haven’t quite got used to being slimmer just yet!

I have to say that I have discovered a whole lot of new foods, oven roasted vegetables (of any and every kind) with olive oil and some garlic has been my saviour. Less of the potatoes and definitely no more, or very little, crisps and cheese, which would be my particular fondness. I can’t say it has been really easy, but my class leader Sandra, has been very supportive and I’ve always looked forward to going to class on a Tuesday might, even if I’ve had a bad week. I have really put my mind to it – and I think that’s the golden rule: if you REALLY want to do it: you WILL do it.