Mom-of-two loses more than 7st after realizing 'even getting up was hard work' at her heaviest weight of 18st 2lb

A mother-of-two has lost an impressive seven-and-a-half stone – after realizing she was too unfit to build sandcastles with her sons, and that 'even getting up was hard work'.

Leanne Hemming, 40, from Canonstown, decided to lose weight after attending a beach party for her aunt's 60th.

She started in August 2021 at 18kg and now weighs 10kg – and says she is much happier.

Leanne says she previously struggled to move and was the only one not dancing at the birthday party.

Now she takes 'lovely walks' along the coast in her homeland of Cornwall – and has become the fit and active mum she always dreamed of.

Leanne, a stay-at-home mum, credits Slimming World with her transformation.

And she has just been crowned the brand's Miss Slinky for 2024 – a competition where members have chosen the person who has inspired them most.

Leanne, mum to Elliott, 11, and Hugo, nine, said: 'My two boys were only young and I felt like I was missing something.

'I wanted to be a mother for so long.

“And yet here I was too unfit to run after them on the beach or sit on the ground and build sand castles without gasping for breath.

'When I was at my heaviest, I felt tired all the time; even getting up was hard work.

'My children were very longed for, so motherhood quickly took priority over everything else and my weight and health started to suffer.

'But I started to feel like I was letting the boys down and I couldn't allow that.

'The most important change for me is that I am now the mother I always wanted to be.

'Our family is fit, active and happy and that's everything I could ever ask for.'

Just a few days after the beach party, in August 2021, after her cousin revealed she had lost two stone from Slimming Word, Leanne decided to sign up too.

Through the group, she created a healthy eating plan and used Slimming World's physical activity support program to create a tailor-made exercise plan.

Leanne has gone from size 24 to size eight, rediscovered her confidence and is now the first out of her chair to dance at a party.

And now the mum and her whole family enjoy an active and happy lifestyle – and Leanne says she is the mum she always wanted to be.

“My days of being on the sidelines are over.

“If there's a party these days, I'm the first to get out of my chair!” Leanne said.

'I was completely inactive before I lost the weight – the thought of having to exert myself or being out of breath was my worst nightmare.

'However, I live in a beautiful part of the country, near the coast, so I started making the most of it by going for nice walks.

'As I became more confident, I started going to the gym and now enjoy the feeling I get afterwards.

'I gradually built this up until I could exercise four to five times a week, it's just part of my routine.'