You can read more about our fantastic members’ achievements in our members’ area. If you’d like to share the fabulous success of our members – bodyOPTIMISE membership is only a click away!

	Saudi slimming for Maxine

I lost 3½ stones with Slimming World 6 years ago, and went from a size 20 to a size 14. During my weight loss I swore that I’d never put it back on again, but here I find myself even heavier than before. My mistake was that I stopped Food Optimising and went back to old habits. Having spent two years in self-loathing, I finally felt ready to start again.

However I now live in Saudi Arabia because of my husband's job and getting to group each week in the UK would be a bit of a challenge!

I thought I'd have a look at the online options and was delighted to find bodyOPTIMISE - perfect for overseas members. I signed up immediately. We get a lot of American brands here and a lot of locally-made products too. I’d been making dangerous guesses about their Syn values, so it’s brilliant to have access to the online calculator.  I love the recipe section too. My husband is Optimising with me this time and we are enjoying lots of Free Food feasts. He loves to have a huge mixed grill and I enjoy enormous jacket potatoes with sweetcorn toppings. My son and I are both diabetic so it's giving him good healthy eating lessons too.

If we go out for fast food, I take a small bottle of Free salad dressing in my handbag and order the salads that most fast food places do these days, if they're a bit small I have two!  

We are very fortunate to live on a compound with a gym and several swimming pools. We even have an indoor pool so I can swim all year round, and I usually have it all to myself! At the moment I'm doing about 100 lengths a week.

I always knew that when I got back to it that Food Optimising would be the way to go - all that food and I still lose weight, how could anyone consider anything else!? It's the only eating plan (and I've tried them all) where you're never hungry.

From Maxine Silkstone, Saudi Arabia

	Allison’s emerging, with every pound!

I’ve only recently discovered bodyOPTIMISE and for me it’s a perfect way to lose weight. Over the years I’ve made several attempts at losing weight by going to classes, which work well for some people, but I’m so shy and embarrassed by my weight that I never continue going.

This time I already feel different as I know I can lose weight privately. I know that I will gain confidence as I lose each pound, and hopefully one day there will be a picture of me in your success stories!

My husband and I are doing the plan together, enjoying both the Green and Original choices and we’ve been making good use of the recipe archive. I have also created a recipe so I will be sending it in soon!

Thanks from all of us shy people!

From Allison Jackson, Surrey

	A healthier and happier 2008 for Samantha

A New Year and a new me – that’s my plan for 2008.

The end of 2007 was awful. My uncle died in November from heart and lung disease and my fiancé Jock, who was only 43 also passed away from heart disease and diabetes.  We had been planning our wedding; instead I ended up planning a funeral.  Jock was a large man with numerous health problems and it’s his death that has kick-started me into do something about my weight. 

Since my teens I have carried extra weight around, tried numerous diets and nothing worked.  With a history of heart problems in my family I know that if I carry on as I am, with my weight increasing it will only be a matter of time before I become ill.  Having seen and experienced the upset and devastation that Jock passing away created for me and his family and friends, I don't want that to happen to me in a few years time.  It's time I did something about it! 

Today I joined bodyOPTIMISE, my first weigh in is next Saturday. Although I am doing this because of Jock I am also doing it for me, to be healthier and happier in 2008. 

Wishing everyone good luck with their targets.

Take care

From Samantha Godley, Tayside

We wish you all the very best for 2008 Samantha, we’re sure you’ll be off to a flying start!  

	Anita’s luck is on the up!

I have just joined bodyOPTIMISE after what I call ‘the bad years'.  I've had such a lot of bad luck, which ruined all my attempts to lose weight. But my luck is finally changing thanks to bodyOPTIMISE.

I've been on diets since I was 12 and I’m now 61. I’ve tried all diets known to man, and even worked as a diet consultant for another weight loss company. I lost and regained weight yearly. Then I discovered Slimming World and lost weight successfully, until I was involved in a really bad bus accident which ruined my back. Years of pain, physio and bed rest followed -accompanied by more weight gain. I continued Food Optimising as best I could, particularly when I needed to lose weight for an operation.

After a year I went back to work and rejoined Slimming World, but as I couldn't walk properly, let alone exercise, I found it harder to lose weight. Last Christmas my back was feeling so much better and I could walk for a longer duration so had lost some weight. I was really looking forward to the Christmas ‘do’ at work, then on the way there I was knocked down by a reversing car! I thought I was jinxed!

However, I am now back on track – I’ve joined bodyOPTIMISE and I’m going to do it this time, nothing is going to stop me! I still walk with a stick so exercise will be slow but I can cook all the lovely Food Optimising meals. I am so determined to turn my life around.  I am going to be a new person from today onwards with bodyOPTIMISE’s help.

From Anita Nutbeen, Swindon

We’d give all our four-leaf clovers to you Anita! It sounds like your luck is already on the up and we’ll be with you all the way!