What a weigh to go Isabelle!

Isabelle Kennedy was 15 years old when doctors warned that if she was unable to lose weight on her own, they were going to have to consider her for a gastric bypass. Whilst at secondary school she had been diagnosed with a form of liver disease. Doctors told her that the illness was linked to obesity and that losing weight would help.

Isabelle says she had been overweight since childhood started gaining weight from the age of four. “My mum desperately consulted the family GP and dieticians about my increasing size,” she said. “Unfortunately nothing they tried seemed to work and I got bigger and bigger. While at secondary school I gained 8st as I would stock up on unhealthy snacks from the local shop on my way home from school and increasingly turned to food for comfort. My weight also led to embarrassing experiences including once getting stuck on a water slide!”

Isabelle was determined not to go under the knife and embarked on her own weight loss journey by joining Slimming World and the results have been remarkable. She has dropped from 20st 11lbs and size 22/24 to 11st 3lbs, a whopping weight loss of 9st 8lbs, and is now size 10/12,

She said: “Weight loss surgery was never an option for me, so I joined Slimming World and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve reversed the effects of the liver disease and been discharged from hospital.”

Isabelle, now 18 lives in Bexhill with Mum Su and brother Joe, and has been named Slimming World’s Young Slimmer of the Year 2017 in recognition of her inspirational achievement. She added: “I’m definitely confident I’ve discovered healthy habits that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Being named Young Slimmer of the Year has been a brilliant bonus. It has given me so many amazing opportunities, such as speaking to politicians at the Houses of Parliament about child health and wellbeing! Weight loss can be achieved at any age, it is never too early or late to tackle the issue head on. If I can lose weight, anyone can.

“After losing the weight and being discharged from hospital – I feel truly passionate about now helping others!”

Isabelle now plans to help others achieve their weight loss goals, and will be opening her own Slimming World group in Bexhill on April 3.

The group is open to everyone, and will be held at All Saints Church Hall, Sidley, Tuesdays at 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

For more information, call Isabelle on 07388027751.