Yahoo News Chester-le-Street mum secures 'dream job' after receiving leaflet that has led her to changing her life
Ashamed and self-conscious due to her weight, Victoria Toothill hated the person she saw in the mirror.
At just 25 years old, she was suffering from high blood pressure which was causing headaches that made her feel constantly drained. And she was also struggling to control her asthma.
"I'd gotten to the point where I couldn't bear to go into clothes shops and every time I got an invitation to a party or wedding I just wanted to curl up in a ball and hide," said Victoria.
But as she stood in a dress criticising herself because she felt she looked "awful", she received a leaflet that has led her to changing her life and securing her "dream job".
Victoria said: "I was stood in a dress cursing myself because I looked awful in it when a leaflet for my local Slimming World group dropped through my door. The group was meeting the next night and I decided then and there to go along.
"I had heard some horror stories about weight loss groups, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was just a nice room filled with lovely people. A kind, understanding consultant sat and went through pages and pages of normal, everyday food that I was allowed to eat, and I could have as much as I wanted. I chose my target weight and went home armed with my new books and a fire in my belly."
Victoria went on to drop 4st from her starting weight of 14st 7lbs to 10st 7lbs - the dream weight she had picked on her very first night. She dropped from a dress size 18 to a size 10.
The 35-year-old, from Chester-le-Street, said: "I got to my dream weight without ever feeling hungry and I was on top of the world. The dresses that I had desperately wished to wear now fit like a glove and made me feel fabulous! Not only that but my blood pressure was normal, and my asthma symptoms had all but gone!"
However, in 2020 she and her husband moved to Manchester and the combination of a stressful job, a new city and the national lockdowns saw her regain 3.5st over the next couple of years.
She added: "I was annoyed at myself but now I knew better than to beat myself up. We were due to move home in the December of 2021 and I knew my Slimming World group was waiting for me. The morning that I walked back into Vickie's Slimming World group, I felt like I had really come home.
"I knew I could get myself back to target because I had my group's support, and I had an extra incentive - I was pregnant!"
"I felt so supported and empowered during my pregnancy because I knew exactly what to eat to keep myself and my baby healthy. Then after I gave birth I hopped back on the scales and I was 4lbs lighter than I had been at the start of my pregnancy. It wasn't a massive loss but for someone who was terrified that pregnancy would send me straight back to my heaviest, it was a miracle! Then the real work began.
"I think a lot of new mums would probably agree that they find themselves wanting to lose weight but without the time or the energy to really commit to their weight loss. I had a few weeks where my best intentions had gone out of the window, but I knew I’d still get amazing support from Vickie and the other members, and I always left group feeling motivated and inspired for the week ahead."
Now a target member once more, the mum to 21-month-old Lily has trained as a Consultant for Slimming World, and she can't wait to welcome members to her own group. She will taking on the new role alongside setting up her own business, TTRPG Treasures, which specialises in selling table top items, including handmade dice sets.
Victoria said: "This is a dream job for me. It's something I've wanted to do ever since I got to target the first time around. It's a privilege for me to be able to pass on the experience, insight and understanding that helped me, so that I can give my members the support they need to get to target.
"Support really is the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you're not alone. I couldn't have lost all that weight (twice!) without the help, encouragement and understanding I get every week in group.
"As someone who has had plenty of ups and downs in my own weight loss journey, I know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with everyone in group, I will be there to support each of my members all the way to their chosen target weight."
Victoria's Slimming World group will be held at Chester-Le-Street Masonic Centre every Monday at 8am, 9.30am and 11am from Monday 27 th May. For more information or to join Victoria's group either pop along on May 27 or call her on 07528825520.
