283: I Was A Prisoner In My Own Home

Introduction

0:00How to begin this podcast? Well, I don't know, Anna. This is one that caught my eyes when I read the features and the headlines about this lady. I said to you, didn't I? We've got to speak to Fiona.

0:33And you said to me, I know Vicky, her consultant. I was so excited. You know, when it comes up, you're like, oh my God. And Vicky sent me a message. Do you know? And I was like, do I know what Vicky? We were like talking in code. It's so exciting and so inspiring. So I cannot wait to get this conversation started. Yeah. However you're listening today, whether you're out popping your headphones on, your trainers on, going for a walk around the block, maybe perhaps you're just about to jump on the treadmill or you're driving to work. I think this is going

1:06to be one you want to listen to all the way through to the end. But let us welcome our guests. Fiona and Vicky, welcome to the World Podcast. Thank you so much. It's lovely to be here. Say hello, everybody. Great. And so can you guys tell us where are you from and how do you know each other? Maybe I'll throw that to you, Vicky. Where are you? You are a consultant, I suppose we should share first. Where are you? And how do you know each other?

1:37So I run the groups in Bexley Heath, which kind of borders Kent and South East London. And Fiona is my member and she has been since 2018. Yeah. And she's my member, but we are great friends now after all this time as well. Wow. And it sounds like Vicky has been a big part of, I guess, witnessing and holding your hand in what's been a crazy few years of a transformation, Fiona, as a member.

2:11Yeah, absolutely. Vicky's been there through it all. The good times, the bad times. She's seen me cry a lot. But she's always been there just supporting me and raising my spirits. And she's just always believed in me when I just didn't even believe in myself. So she's been fantastic. I couldn't have done it without her. And as she said, we have become very good friends. Yeah. And it's now me the one that's crying, watching Fiona with all of her achievements.

2:42I'm just the one that's now crying. And she's just so calm and cool like a cucumber, honestly. I'm just taking it all in my stride at the moment. I mean, for those who don't know the headline, you are the greatest loser, 2026, and have lost a staggering 20 stone. And how many pounds? 11 and a half. 11 and a half. There you go. Yes. Wow. So you've got what we've actually in the last year, Anna, we've spoken to a few people who've

3:16either been on the cusp or have just got this mythical Club 50 certificate, which means that you've lost more than 50% of your body weight or certificate. I've got that right. Certificate, no sticker. Yes, we're not going to enter into that controversy again. We launched potentially a little bit of a fire going on there, Fiona. What did you do with that certificate when you got it? That certificate is in a frame in my front room on the shelf so that everyone that comes

3:47around can see it. And I'm just really proud of it. Yeah. Very proud. And getting greatest loser of the year, how do you feel about that? I mean, does it, you know, I guess, is it the icing on the cake of the last few years?

Greatest Loser Award

4:06Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I have won it a few times just in my group itself. But then when I was told that I had won it nationally, it's just mind blowing. It's mind blowing. I mean, there's so many amazing people out there losing weight and having amazing weight losses. But to know that I'm the greatest loser for Slimming World, it's just, it's a dream come true. It's something I've always strived for. And Vicky knows that I've always wanted to, you know, be able to get to a point where I get into one of these competitions

4:40and win it. And, but when you actually do it, yeah, it's surreal, proper surreal. I mean, the courage it takes, you know, Claire and I have lost like four or five stone, which is an awful lot of weight. And we know the effort and the courage and the determination that that's taken. But to do that, like four times over, almost. I mean, how do you keep going? Because there's got to be days when you think, oh, God, do this today. Like, take

5:12us through this. How have we got to here to be greatest loser 2026? Yeah, like, it hasn't always been straightforward. I've had times where, you know, the scales don't go the way you want it to, or life just gets in the way. And you just think, oh, I just, I just don't think I can do this anymore. I think I've gone as far as I can go. And, and yeah, and then I just, and then I sort of think to myself, but you know what, I've come

5:42this far. I'm not going to stop now. I know what I want. I know who I want to be. And the one thing that sort of really resonates with me is that I never, ever want to go back to the life that I was living before I lost all this weight. So many good things have happened to me, for me since losing weight. And things just keep getting better and better, new opportunities, new adventures. And yeah, that just gives me the motivation to want to keep going all the time.

6:17Oh, I mean, I, that is amazing, isn't it? And I think the thing that really stood out to me was, like you say, this transformation of where you came from and where you are now. I mean, that when we saw the feature, when it first talked about your story, it said that phrase of, I was a prisoner in my own home, you were a recluse, you know, you were really lonely. I mean, can you take us back to what that was like, in those days?

6:48Yeah, that's exactly how it was. I just didn't want to go out. I didn't want anyone to see me. And sometimes when I had been out, I'd have just like random members of the public, they would call me names, or I'd see people pointing, or, you know, and it just, I didn't want to be put in that situation. It made me feel awful. So I would just, it was just easier and better for me to just stay at home. But now, you can't really keep me in. I'm just always out and

7:23about. And yeah, I don't know. I've got a good social life. And I like, yeah, I just like being around people now. I'm a real people's person. I was obviously always there, but just didn't have the confidence to do it. Gosh. I guess, Vicky, you must have seen that confidence grow in Fiona as her consultant. Can you remember when Fiona first came through your doors and when you guys first met? I can. I really can. And when I first met Fiona, she was so shy, so quiet. And she didn't really say

8:02much at all. And she only trusted me to weigh her on scales for a short time when she first started. And she slowly learned that she could trust me and the social team and the whole group. And she slowly come out of her shell. And she started to gain more and more confidence in group and would be joining in and talking. And she was racking up the awards quite quickly. And everyone wanted to talk and hear from her. And it just naturally happened. And she'd become part of my social team. And Fiona's the way lady. And everyone loves Fiona in group. And to see her transformation

8:36over the years, just grow. I just think it's like a flower just opening up almost. And she's just like the brightest flower now in the vase. She's just done amazing. And yeah, she just loves life now, don't you? Just always going out and living life now and a very present parent and just done amazing. Yeah, absolutely. It's like I did say that I felt like I just existed before, whereas now I am actually living. And that's just amazing. And like, since doing all this, I've found a lot of pictures from

9:16when I was at my biggest pictures that I completely forgot about. And I show people now and they are like, that's not you. It doesn't even look like you. But even me myself, I don't recognise myself. I was like, oh, my God, was that really me? That's, it's just unbelievable. It's just, yeah, completely unbelievable. Just such a different person completely changed my life. I've printed all the photos off of Fiona to take into group tomorrow and put them all on boards. And I was

9:49looking at them and reflecting earlier, and she literally looks 20 years younger. Thanks. Honestly, like, like, it's just a different, it is a different person. I would say it looks like an older relative of yours, like in the photo, you can see the resemblance, but he's a completely different person. Yeah. Oh, thank you. You know, I was just sat here thinking, you know, if you're like a new member, or you're someone struggling in group, having someone like Fiona on the scales, who totally gets

10:20it, who's done it. I'm just thinking that is just so much inspiration. Like, do you know what, I can deal with anything. Because if Fiona sat there, and she's been through it, I can almost like, see myself getting through it. I bet your group are like, tapping you up for the recipes, for the activity ideas. Like, has group been a real foundation and a real kind of, I guess, armoury for you in this journey? Have they helped you a lot? Yeah, absolutely. Like, how can I put this? When I walk into group, I feel like a celebrity.

10:52Everyone is just so happy to see me. And then we have the older members that maybe have left and then come back and, and they're like, I didn't even know it was you. Like, you know, but, um, yeah, like everybody all the time is, um, asking for help and advice. And how do you do it, Fiona? We can't even lose half a pound. Like, how do you do it? You know, and they're looking for advice and inspiration. And yeah, recipes. Yeah, when we talk in group

11:25about, you know, what, you know, if you cooked anything different this week, and then I try and share a few bits and pieces, a few pointers, you know, what do you do, Fiona? What's your go to? What, what free food do you have that you can, you know, eat? And, and then I just give them pointers and let them know. A big love of mine is boiled eggs. Love a boiled egg. Love a bit of chicken. Do you love a, a bought boiled egg though? Cause I have this thing, you know, like if you go to a shop and they're there with the spinach, they're not the same as the ones you've done

11:55at home. Are you a girl that buys a pre-done boiled egg? I don't buy pre anymore. I'm sorry. I can't do it. They don't taste like eggs. They don't really smell bad. You've heard it here, guys, to lose 20 stone, boil your own eggs. Absolutely. That is the key. That is the secret. Yeah. Listen, this is, you could, I can just see a wave now on social media of everybody being like, boil your eggs. This is what the greatest loser's done. Absolutely. Do you have, do you feel like your eating habits, I mean, undoubtedly they have changed,

12:27but Claire and I often talk about how we've learned to cook. We've learned about nutrition. Is that something that happened for you in this journey? Yeah, absolutely. So before Slimming World, I couldn't cook. I couldn't even cook a boiled egg to be perfectly honest. I couldn't. Yeah. Like my freezer was just full of convenience foods. It was, you know, I do an online shop for my students and get all the frozen foods and, you know, just bung it in the oven. And that was dinner. Or I relied a lot on takeaways. I love to take away, you know, all these things that were no good for me and obviously led to the

13:03weight creeping up and creeping up. But once I joined Slimming World and I went through the books and slowly, slowly, slowly by recipe, it was good because obviously you had the magazines and they gave you recipes and they told you how to cook it. And I literally, Slimming World taught me how to cook. Yeah. I just couldn't do it beforehand. Yeah. My favourite book is Take Five because it's got pictures and only five ingredients. And I'm like, that is my fail safe because it shows me how to do it. Like, but it is understanding. Like

13:38if you come into a weight loss journey, for so many of us, we didn't learn that in school. We may not have come from families that cooked. And actually what you learn in Greek, what you learn from your consultants and online is those tricks, is how to cook, how to make food for your family and friends. So it's more than just like a weight loss club, isn't it? It's actually like a learning hub too. That's what I like to think. Absolutely. Yeah. That's a really good way of putting it. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And it's just, it also taught me, you know, you don't, you know, I used to think

14:09that I would need a big takeaway or I would need, you know, 10 bags of crisps to fill full up and satisfied. But obviously it completely, Slimming World completely changed my mindset on that. I know now that there's so many free foods that are actually nutritious that I can fill up on that are good for me and, you know, are on plan. Wow. I mean, isn't that so different? Because I know at the

Gastric Bypass Decision

14:38beginning of your journey, you were faced with a choice, weren't you? Your GP in an appointment said that they would recommend you go for a gastric bypass and you were on a waiting list for that. And what was that process like? You know, because we hear about whether people go down that route of surgery or perhaps even weight loss medication, but you decided not to do that and you found Slimming World and that was the thing that worked for you. What was that

15:08like in terms of your, the choices that you had at that time? Yeah. So how that actually happened was, it was actually me that approached the GP. I tried lots of other diets and I was at a stage where I just, I just wanted to change. I couldn't deal anymore with being so overweight and being so, such a recluse. And I, like I said, I just wanted to get a life basically. So after trying so many different things, I thought to myself, gastric bypass to me seems like my only option now. Um, so I approached the GP and asked them if

15:46I could be referred, um, which I was. And then I was seen by a consultant. They accepted me. They said, yes, okay, we will do a gastric bypass. However, you need to lose freestone before we will do it. Um, because we need to show that you are committed to losing weight. So I remember coming out there actually feeling really deflated because all I was thinking was is I've tried every diet. I've tried everything. How, how am I going to lose freestone? Um, but anyway, I went home and

16:24got straight on the internet, was having a flick through. Like, is there something I've missed? Is there something I haven't tried? And that's when I came across in the moulds and I was reading other people's stories. I was reading a bit about how the plan worked and all I was thinking was I haven't tried it. Let's give it a go. So that's when I contacted, um, that's when I found Vicky's group and worked up the guts to go there. And yeah, it just all went from there really. And

17:00oh, I just remember standing outside and just being so scared. I was petrified. I mean, I know it's a slimming group, but in my head, all I was thinking is what if I'm the biggest person there? Like, and I know that I'm there to lose weight and I know everyone else is there for that reason. But still in my head, I just couldn't, I just couldn't work up the courage to walk through them doors. But I did. I took my mum along with me. Um, she, she came with me, um, to support me. She helped me take that first step through and I did. And I've never looked back since. Um,

17:37as soon as I got in there, everyone was just so lovely, so welcoming, put me at ease. Um, and obviously then sat down, had a chat with the consultant, um, went through the plan and more or less straight away. I, I, I don't know what it was. Something just

17:58ticked and I just thought, actually, this might actually work. And I literally went home. I did a first shop and I just got straight into it and it was, I don't want to say it's easy because it wasn't, it was a big, massive change for me. Um, but it just seemed to all fall into place. So I just can't put more, I just can't put it into words. I don't know how to explain it, but yeah, like I slowly started following, I, you know, I started following the recipes.

18:32I started learning how to cook, um, paid more attention to being aware of what I was putting in my mouth, following the plan, filling up on free foods and week by week. I think the first lot of weight came off quite quickly. Um, and I just couldn't believe it because I tried a lot of different diets and nothing else had worked. So for this weight to be coming off this easy and still eating, um, and enjoying lovely meals that I would normally buy convenience meals,

19:06microwave meals, like spaghetti bolognese. And I was able to make a curry that I didn't feel guilty for eating. Um, and then, yeah, and then I got to the three stone mark and then it was more or less around that time, actually, the consultant called me to say, um, yeah, no, yeah, sorry. The consultant called me, um, and told me that as I'd lost the three stone, they was able to offer me a date. And at that point I decided I had to make a decision. Do I go for the gastric bypass

19:39or do I just stick with what I'm doing? And I, I decided to stick with Slimming World. I felt that I finally found something that was working for me. I didn't want to have medical intervention if I really didn't need it. And I had quite a lot of self-belief in myself at that point. So I thought, you know what, you've got this, you can do this. And 21 stone, almost lighter here now, like I did this in your wildest dreams though. Did you walk

20:11in that night and think 21 stone here I come, or was it like you took it one mountain at a time? Yeah. No, obviously in my head, I always thought, okay, right. I've got like 21 stone to lose. Um, but I couldn't think of the bigger picture. I never think of the bigger picture. I always break it down always because if you do, I just get, I don't know about anybody else, but I just get really overwhelmed. And then that's when it could all potentially go wrong. And I think, oh, I'm never going to get that. I'm never going to get that. Like who can get 21 stone? Who?

20:42You can. You know, I know. Yeah, I know. Yeah, I can. Absolutely. But at the time, yeah. So no, I, I literally half a stone at a time. I've, I think that's what's the good thing about having the half a stone certificates. Um, it's not a massive sort of achievement that you have to work towards before you get the next one. If you know what I mean, it's not an overwhelming, um, achievement to, oh God, I don't know how to word what I want to say. It's only half a stone away every time, isn't it? Yeah. It just feels more achievable. Um,

21:13then maybe a stone or yeah, yeah, definitely. Now you talked about your mum. I'm just thinking your family and your friends have been on this journey with you. Yeah. What are they feeling and thinking about the mum they've got? I mean, so super glamorous, like you are sat here oozing glamour where I am like literally, um, what, what are their thoughts and feelings about you now? Yeah. Um, so I've got two sons and a daughter. Um, well, my youngest is 12, so he doesn't say a lot, you know, boys, 12 year olds. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, but my 19 year old son who doesn't normally

21:49say a lot at all has actually been really, especially since all this has happened since he's found out I'm the greatest loser and for 2026. And he's, he actually told me he was proud of me, which was lovely because that's not something I hear very often from him. Um, so, and he's, and he actually sent me a couple of pictures that he found of when I was, um, 35 stone. And he said, like, look at you, mum, you're just a whole different person. I'm so proud of you. So that's really lovely.

22:21And my daughter, yeah, she's, she's just, she's like a mini me. Um, so, but yeah, no, she's, she's immensely proud of me too. And all my family. Yeah. Like they're all really supportive. My mum and dad are very supportive. Um, and obviously my partner, Steven, um, he's, he's, he's just been amazing on this journey. He came into the journey sort of halfway through, but he's, he's just, yeah, he, he's, yeah, he's amazing. Is he there? Is he there? Because we keep looking to the side,

22:56like, oh, oh yeah, he's here, yes, he's here. Well, Steven, come on, give us a little wave, Steven. Support me. Come on, give us a little wave. Give us your hand. Hello. There you go. Oh, but he's having a lie down. I'm trying to be casual with it and just, you know, be here for support. And obviously when the young 12 year old decides to kick off and start shouting, go up the stairs and calm him down and shut up. Oh, like my husband with my small child barricaded in the other room. We totally feel you

23:28here. Oh, good on you, Steven. Thank you. Oh, thank you. It's been an amazing journey for Fiona. I'm very proud of her. Oh, big up for love. I mean, Vicky, like you, when, when Fiona came, it must've told you about, I had this choice. I got a date given to me for this gastric bypass. That must've been like, gosh, such a powerful conversation for you to have of like, you know,

23:59that belief that Fiona had been given, I guess, from you and your group that this works. Yeah, absolutely. Um, I think from really early on, I just, just sort of said to Fiona, just take it as it comes. Um, just, just follow the plan and see what happens. Um, if you decide to do that, you know, Slimming World will absolutely be there for you. You can continue your weight loss journey in group. So I never tried to talk her out of it at all, because it's a hundred percent is Fiona's choice. Um, and we do support members who take weight loss medication and have surgery as

24:34well. Um, so she knew she had that support regardless, but, um, I think Fiona, um, saw for herself, you know, how much she was loving food optimizing. And I remember Fiona saying, um, she didn't want to go through the risk of surgery when she's got three children, you know, it carries big life risk when you have such big operations. And she said, I want to eat normally and I want to cook normally and I want, I want to, to just be healthy and make great food choices. And so when she saw

25:05she was doing that, um, I, I had a feeling she would stick with Slimming World. I had a strong feeling. Um, and obviously I was really glad that she chose to stay with food optimizing because I knew that she had it in her right from the beginning. She, even though she was sad and she was, you know, she was really shy. She just had a twinkle in her eye. And I think that just rhymed actually. Um, it was just, just a real powerhouse from really early on in her journey. Um, and yeah,

25:35she, she's been amazing. You can see the twinkle in your eye. Like you can see that you are like, I'm doing this. Just wait, but you can see that, you know, when people see the title of this, a lot of people will click on this out of curiosity, like, wow, this is an incredible achievement. And there'll be people listening who are sat thinking, I need to do that. You know, if you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice that night, you walked in the group, if anybody's listening, what would that bit of advice be? Do you think?

26:05Um, I think the advice would be, um, just, I think it's just about just, look, don't overthink it. Just take one meal at a time, one day at a time. Um, and when, you know, if you have a bad day or on the scales, or if you just have a bad day in general, don't worry, tomorrow's a new day, draw a line, start again. Um, one meal doesn't have to write off the whole week. I like that saying Vicky says that a lot in groups. And that is something that always sticks

26:38with me. It does when like, you know, we're only human. We, we do have times when we, you know, have something that maybe is not on plan. And, and then you think, oh, well, if I've had that, then I'll just go and reach for something else. And then before you know it, you're spiraling and, and what have you. And it's just about, okay, just be kind to yourself. Just be kind to yourself. You've got this, draw the line. Tomorrow's a new day. Yeah. And actually, you know what, thinking about like on the, on the article, it shares some of the

27:08things that you did for the first. And if you think about where you were then and where you are now, I mean, look here, January, 2022, you started walking to improve your fitness. Then the next month you booked a session with a personal trainer. I mean, then you've joined a gym, uh, for solo workouts later on in that year in October. So that's a heck of a confidence boost, isn't it? And then you walked 5k to raise money for Alzheimer society. I did. You wore a pair of knee high boots. You bought

27:41a sparkly Christmas dress and you braved a bicycle for the first time in 30 years last year. I mean, yes, I did. You are, you know, like you say that confidence, but also it sounds like it's not just necessarily about all about the food optimizing now. This is also about the activity and the fact that you want to get out there and move more as well. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean, joining the gym was just, um, it did start off with a PT. Um,

28:12for me, that was the best way to start. Um, it wasn't in a gym. She had her own little, um, gym in her garden and I would go there and it was a one-to-one session and it felt comfortable. It felt like a safe space, um, for me to start to get some confidence. And after I'd done that for a while, I thought, actually, I think I could probably go to the gym now. Um, so yeah, went and joined a gym and again, nervous, probably felt going into that gym the first day I felt going into Slimming World. Um, cause you're around all these people and you think, oh, you know,

28:45they're all really buff and really like, you know, gym people, slim and blah, blah, blah. But, um, I made friends at the gym too. So, you know, uh, yeah, I made friends there and, you know, every time you go in, hi Fee, hi Fee. And yeah, they, they, again, that they just made it so comfortable and easy for me too. So yeah. And yeah, it's just gone from there really. Yeah. I love a bit of gym. I love walking and my son had his bike in the garden and I was looking at it

29:17and I thought to myself, hmm, is it true that once you ride a bike, you never forget? So out it came and I got on it and yeah, you don't, once you know how to ride a bike, you know. So I got on it and off I went and I loved it. It was, it, it just like, again, like to tell myself 35 stone ago, sorry, when I was at 35 stone, you're going to get on a bike. Like what? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. But yeah, I loved it. And actually it is something that me and Steve

29:51have spoke about actually just getting ourselves bikes and actually doing bike tricks now going out and about and yeah. Get a tandem, you know, one in front, one in back. No, it's about too far, it's about too far. Who sits on the front and who sits on the back? Thank you. Do what I did and get an e-bike. It's way more fun. Really? Oh yeah. Much more fun. Then you can pack all your snacks on the back as well. That's very important. Just to push it up a hill. That's when you don't like it.

30:21Yeah. Yeah. That's why I had to see the other day. Yeah. It was exhausting. Oh, bless her. Do you know what? I think the, the Fiona of 35 stone would be looking back going, well done. I am so proud of you. Like, I'm just thinking about the hope that you are giving other people having been crowned this, you, the ripples that this is going to have and the lives that you're going to help change. I mean, Vicky, you must be like, like a proud sister and the whole group must be just rooting for, for Fiona. I mean, how do you feel sat here tonight?

30:54Actually, I think of myself like a proud mummy, even though I'm not old enough to be Fiona's mum, but I do, I feel like it's like a mummy protective role. So excited about it. 23rd of February, we've known since. So it's been a long secret. A brilliant, brilliant secret. And also, I suppose, you know, this is what you do as a job, Vicky. What, what does that feel like for you to be a consultant? Just so, you know, I don't think always so many members really know

31:27what that role is really like and what it, what it really entails. It's, it's the best job in the world. I say it all the time. It's so rewarding. It's like all jobs, jobs can be hard, and there might be some parts of it you like more than others. But it's so rewarding. And, you know, a bit like what Fiona was saying about telling her children. And my children have not always known I've done Slimming World. You know, I've done it since one was born and since one was small. And just sharing with them Fiona's success. And they're like, wow, that's what you do,

32:03mum. Like, you really do help change lives. And I was like, I absolutely do. I said, I love it. I absolutely love it. And I wouldn't do anything else at all. Oh, gosh. Vicky is a fabulous consultant, but you can tell that by her group. She's got like five amazing groups. And, you know, a lot of people, even if they end up leaving, they come back. Like I said, there's lots of faces I've seen, you know, return. Vicky's definitely got a very good, you know, high, a lot of people got

32:33respect for Vicky as a consumer consultant. Yeah. And did you know what it is about Vicky? That I see and I see in all our consultants is that empathy and understanding, like that non-judgment. And you get it. You really do. Vicky's also so inspiring because she plays netball. And it's something I've never, ever been able to do is play netball. I love netball. You do, don't you? Vicky's like, yesterday, I'm playing netball. I was like, I've not played netball since I was 15. I can't think of anything worse. But you literally embody body magic and food

33:05optimizing. And that just uses it out, doesn't it? Anybody can play netball, Anna. I play with men and women. I play with people from 16 up to 76. And there's walking netball. You don't have to run. You know, you can go to walking netball. You don't jump. You don't run. It's more the ball that troubles me. Like, catching it and throwing it. The ball is quite hazardous. I did have two black guys the other week where I got a ball in the nose. Yeah, I broke my finger at school playing it. And I was the dyslexic, dyspraxic, overweight kid.

33:36So I couldn't catch the ball. I couldn't run. I'm just scarred by it. But you give me hope about netball that one day, one day, maybe 86 on my Zimmer frame, I'll do walking netball. But I just think like with activity, just like how Fiona was talking about walking and the love for riding the bike. And I just love moving. And it's just finding something that makes you smile. And when we talk about activity in group, and we were talking about a feature on the app today about the mood changing activity, seven day challenge. And I just said, all of these things will make you

34:10smile. They might make you feel silly, I said, but they will make you smile. And that, you know, alongside the food optimizing for me, is what is like the golden ticket. You know, at the beginning of my journey, activity was not a part of it at all. But it's something that I'm going to love, because I can do it now, I've lost the weight, you know.

34:31Yeah, well, if people missed out last week, we did move your mood. And we looked at that challenge that you just mentioned, Vicky, it's a members Brucey bonus episode. And it includes seven minutes of me and Anna testing some of these activities that are available as part of this challenge. Uh, whilst me knocking a microphone over almost and Anna headbutting her light, uh, lampshade. So, um, that's waiting for you. And never wasn't involved. Thank goodness.

35:01No, that's there. Fiona and Vicky, it's been fantastic to meet you both. And we wish you, you know, the best in the celebrating that you're both going to do. And especially you, Fiona, going to the ball. How exciting. Yeah, that's very exciting. Another excuse to wear a sparkly dress. I love it. I mean, there's nothing of an excuse to put a sparkly dress on, but yeah. Swimming world is all about the glitter. It really is. It's like, yeah, absolutely. And that's me. I'm a bling girl. Anyway, ask anybody, ask anybody. I love it. So I'm

35:34really excited for that. A dream come true. I've heard about it for years. And now I actually get to live it, which is amazing. Oh, wow. Well, you've definitely proved that the opposite of isolation is connection. Absolutely. Yeah, definitely. That is what your story screams from the rooftops and long may that continue. Thank you so much for speaking to us and you as well, Vicky. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you for having, you know, giving me this opportunity. It's been amazing. Thank you.

36:06Oh, now next week, we are going to be hearing from more consultants, just like Vicky, actually, who are going to be talking about really their role of how they came to be there and really how Slimming World has changed their lives. It's going to be an inspirational, emotional one as we hand over the reins of the podcast to the consultants. Very, very exciting. If you'd like to come and have a little nosy, we'll put some clips of this interview on our Instagram. Maybe, maybe we'll slip in a clip

36:40of Steve in there. How about that, Fiona? Yeah, absolutely. We're not. If anyone's listened to the podcast, they won't have seen Steve. So you can have a, we'll do a screenshot of Steve and put that on our Instagram this week. But anyway.

36:56I'm not very photogenic. Look, we're here to have fun. And that's exactly what we want. You now have a great week. And we'll be back very soon. Lovely. Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye for now. Bye. Bye.