WHEN Maxine Robert discovered she had breast cancer, she found that sticking to a healthy eating plan helped her stay positive.

Maxine first joined Slimming World in Clayton 30 years ago, aged 21, and lost three-and-a-half stone, which she has managed to keep off.

Now she's sharing her story to help other people change their lives, at the start of a new year, and achieve their weight loss dreams too.

Maxine has been a Consultant for Slimming World twice in her 30 years as a member. Now running groups in Settle, she says: “Obesity is becoming such a huge issue across the UK, and for many living through a pandemic hasn’t helped.

"When I first joined Slimming World, I never dreamed I would end up helping other people to lose weight. At the age of 21 I lived on high fat, sugary foods. I knew I had to make some major behaviour changes around food, activity and how I lived my life. I felt so uncomfortable, I knew that improving my health and wellbeing was what was going to make me feel confident and happy.

"I tried not to eat as much, cut meals out and tried numerous ways to lose weight, but I always felt hungry and turned to high fat foods which in turn made me gain weight and feel guilty and ashamed.

"I never looked back when I found my local Slimming world group in Clayton.”

Adds Maxine: “Losing Weight with Slimming World helped me lift the psychological burden of guilt, feel emotionally lighter, freer and much more confident, thanks to the support of my group. After losing my weight and keeping it off I decided to become a Slimming World Consultant, a role I loved. I left 10 years later to have my children, then in 2017 I was devastated to find out that I had breast cancer and it had spread.

"I followed the Slimming World Food Optimising plan throughout my treatment to maintain a healthy weight and it helped me stay in a positive mindset. I could eat an unlimited amount of low energy dense Free Foods, such as fruit, veg, pasta, rice, potatoes, pulses, lean meat, fish and poultry, so times when I felt so poorly I knew I could find something to satisfy my appetite and still be healthy, without falling back into old habits.

"I learned so much about myself on my journey; to understand myself as a slimmer and form a new mindset, developing healthy habits to keep the weight off. I pinpointed triggers and pitfalls which had so many parallels to what I was going through with my health. I learned to have a healthy, happy relationship with food and myself for life."

Though Slimming World’s Body Magic programme, Maxine started taking regular exercise: "I started at my own pace and built up to where I am now - running and walking five to 10K daily. I made the decision to return to Slimming World as a consultant. I trained during my cancer treatment and opened my two groups in Settle, sharing my experiences, and supporting around 150 members on their own journey of self-discovery. In January 2021 I was given the fantastic news that I am cancer free. I truly believe that Slimming world and my members have saved my life.”

District manager Lyn Long says “We've all been through a storm of our own over the last 22 months and Maxine is a true inspiration.

"Now, we are all being ‘set- free’ from lockdown and we want to reach out and help as many people as possible to shed the misery, pain and guilt of being overweight. The Slimming world plan is so flexible it fits around you, not the other way round, so that you can love food and love life, and with behaviour change support from weight- loss experts like Maxine, based in the heart of our local community, our Slimming World groups give nothing but, support, care and understanding.”

* Visit slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000.