National award for Telford teenage slimmer Paige
A Telford teenager who described the search for a prom dress as "one of the worst experiences I've ever had" has today won a national slimming award after shedding six stone.
Paige Stoodley was so unhappy about how she looked on her school prom pictures she was prompted to diet – and will start university this month six dress sizes smaller.
Paige, 18, from Oakengates, Telford, has now been named Slimming World Young Slimmer of the Year and is looking forward to starting a new life as a mental health nursing student at Keele University.
She went from 17 to to 11 stone and from a dress size 22 to size 12.
She said: "I used to worry that people would stare at me or judge me because of my size. I hadn't really even considered going to university before losing weight because the thought of meeting new people terrified me, but now I feel so much more confident – I can't wait.
"I think lots of people my age think that slimming clubs aren't 'cool' or are just for older people, but that's absolutely not the case. I'd advise any young people who want to feel better about themselves to join a group now."
Paige, who attended Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College, in Wellington, said: "At the age of 17 I was almost 17st and I knew something had to change. Shopping for my prom dress was probably one of the worst experiences I've ever had.
"I was so excited and had all these ideas in my head of how I wanted to look, but the reality was that every dress I liked either didn't fit or looked horrendous."
It was after her school prom that Paige's nan Anne Bailey persuaded her to join her at a Slimming World group last year.
Paige added: "Being able to eat pasta and potatoes without weighing and measuring them out seemed too good to be true, and I loved being able to have a treat like a bar of chocolate or a bag of crisps when I fancied one as well. It's about learning how to balance your diet, not restricting yourself."
Slimming World consultant Celia Powell, who runs the Dawley Bank group, said: "We are immensely proud of Paige. She is so enthusiastic and committed to healthy eating and promoting it to everybody. You can eat anything on this plan, and Paige does, yet she has still lost all this weight.
"She's only got one more session with us but she will be joining a local group near the university because she knows how important it is to stay with a group for support."
From September 30 Slimming World is launching a Student Special offer, giving any students aged 16 to 21 free membership. For details visit www.slimmingworld.com/student or www.facebook.com/SlimmingWorld
For more information about the Dawley Bank group contact Celia Powell on 07575 123666.
Paiges former menu:
Breakfast: Nothing or a sausage roll and pasty with a fizzy drink from the shop on the way to school
Lunch: A microwave burger or a ready-made sandwich from a shop, with a packet of crisps to follow
Dinner: A Chinese takeaway of some sort
Snacks: Biscuit bars, chocolate bars, crisps and fizzy drinks
Paiges new menu:
Breakfast: All-Bran with semi-skimmed milk topped with chopped banana or berries, or a big bacon, egg and tomato sandwich on wholemeal bread
Lunch: Baked potato with beans or a homemade sweet and sour chicken with vegetables and rice
Dinner: Spaghetti bolognese made with extra-lean minced beef and lots of vegetables
