291: Keeping Each Other Going

Crocheted gifts and group baskets

0:00Well, today we're starting our podcast with key rings, crochet and exploding squidgeys. Whatever could happen by the end of this podcast. Welcome to Sliver World Podcast. Hello. You join us as I hit record as we're kind of in mid-conversation with Slimming Worlds.

0:34Two Together winners, Sue and Holly. How are you guys? You all right? Well, fine. Very good, thank you. It's all been a bit of a whirlwind, so yeah, it's been great so far. We keep on beating ourselves. Well, and why not? I'm revel in it. And, you know, you were just kind of, we were kind of peering into, like, your different rooms where you are on Zoom. And we happened to see, like, the bags of crocheted gifts.

1:05What's this, Holly? Like, is this something we found? We were hearing you put in the slimmer of the week basket. I want to go to your group. Yeah, it was one of the things that I found really helped me through my journey. Finding little things to keep my hands busy so I don't go looking for snacks after two. And, yeah, I started, I learnt crocheting and slowly got to these tiny little animals that have little positive messages.

1:35So that I take to a group each week and put in the slimmer of the week basket, which is something just a little bit different than tins or stuff like that. Satsumas. Everyone loves them. Yeah. Endless satsumas. Someone put something else here. Flipping slimmer of the week bag. We like a pomegranate in my group. Oh, God. That's horrible. Yeah. Not having all of them before. You're not. No. You don't be a crochet, I'll send you a pomegranate.

Mother and daughter weight loss stories

2:04Definitely.

Mother and daughter weight loss stories

2:05Well, we joke, but, you know, clearly it's been, like, quite a few years of some big changes that both of you have made. Where do we begin with both your stories? Who joined Slimming World first out of interest? That was me. Sue. OK, tell us more. I was, I think, a couple of years ahead of Holly, but I played at it. I was probably a yo-yo dieter. So, one week, you know, I would lose to the next week I'd put one on.

2:39I do have a lot of holidays. And so, what I'd lost, I'd go on holiday and I'd put my car on. Things like that. But then when Holly joined, we found it was a bit of a healthy competition. Oh, so your mum and daughter, we should explain that to anyone who doesn't know. Holly, what did you bring that kind of got the rocket up Sue's bottom? Yes, definitely. When I joined, it was also, it was the half of competition, but also I think it was a bit of like an angel on your shoulder.

3:14So, like, you'd sit down at a night and you'd bring something into a living room and you'd be watching over what each other's got.

3:24And yeah, and it's like, oh, who can lose the most this week? Who can get to this Stone Award quicker? And those shinies, really, those shiny stickers and the little certificates, you wouldn't think how much they, like, egg you on. And that competition of going, huh, I got this before you. And yeah.

3:47So, you guys live together, is that right? Yeah. Okay, so you're sharing the same fridge, sharing the same tea? How does this work? Sometimes, yeah, we'd try new things together, but sometimes we do eat separately. So, I would say before Stone Award, I was a massively picky eater. I wouldn't try new things. You'd never see a vegetable on my plate.

4:17My mum was a bit more adventurous with what she'd try. So, yeah, sometimes we would eat together and sometimes we'd eat separately. But yeah, it's that watching each other over and going, oh, what are you having for tea? And us planning each week also what we're going to have. We have a little magnet, like, food plan out on the fridge. So, we'd sit down after group each week and plan what we're going to have if we're eating the same thing on the night or if we're going to eat two different things.

Health struggles and joining groups

4:48But yeah. So, you guys have achieved so much together, but there must have been, like, a turning point, a point where you were like, right, mum's at Slimming World, but I've got to do this. Holly, what was that kind of point that drove you into a group? So, my health was deteriorating massively.

5:09I think it was around the age, I've always, I think I've always struggled with my weight, even as a child. But it really got worse when I hit around about 16 and I was diagnosed with fear asthma. And I was put on steroids, naturally gained a lot of weight because of steroids. And then it was 2020. So, during COVID, I was a carer and I was a hot carer.

5:41So, I'd go into COVID positive patients and one day I had to stay waiting for an ambulance with a patient and she had COVID, we didn't know at the time. And I didn't get COVID randomly, but I did get pneumonia and I spent four weeks in hospital. And that was, that was terrifying because during COVID, naturally, pneumonia being to do with the lungs, I was on a COVID positive ward, but in a side room.

6:12So, that was scary and not being able to see my family or friends or my partner, not being able to have visitors was hard. And then I came out of hospital and at that time, I don't think I was, I was in a bad place, but I didn't have that drive yet until a few years later when I slipped on wet floor and literally my knee gave out. And I was told I needed surgery to reconstruct my knee and they told me I couldn't, they couldn't operate the way I was.

6:48I was practically immobile and that's when mum suggested me joining group with her. And so, yeah, it's how I got to stay in the world. I tried to before, but I think if you're not ready and you're not in that mindset, you're not going to do it. Yeah. I just think if you're going to do it, it's two feet in, not one foot in and one foot out. It's got to, you've been two feet in and you've got to be committed.

7:21Yeah. You're going to have that drive. Yeah. And going to group each week and getting other people's ideas and, you know, things they do. Support as well is a massive thing in group. And it is hard walking through those doors at first. But I remember one person, naturally, they knew me as, oh, this is Sue's daughter, Holly.

7:49But they, they were there with open arms. Everyone, there was instantly. And one, one member turned around to me and says, I know you look nervous, but we're all here for the exact same reason. And we're all going to help each other through it. We're a family at the end of the day. And that was really nice to have that support straight away. Soon as you walk through the door. Not even being there, two minutes. How interesting is that? Because in a world where there are so many different choices of quick fix ways to lose weight these days, you know, whether it be an injection, a pill, you know, I'm not here to judge different routes that work for different people.

8:31But there is one thing that I think a lot of the options lack. And that is that support. And, you know, if you take a pill, maybe you don't get that conversation that you had. That really was quite fundamental. And the fact that you remember that years later, that's part of it, isn't it? Yeah, I was offered when I did my knee. Naturally, they wanted me to lose the weight. So they asked, they wanted me to have bariatric surgery.

9:02And that was terrifying to me to be able to change my body practically for the rest of my life. It's terrifying. And I wanted to give, give it a go on my own in a way. Not on my own, but with Slimming World without those measures. And like, yes, things, everyone's different and certain things work and certain things don't. But yeah, it's, yeah, for me, I just didn't want to do that.

9:35But it's about changing the way you eat as well. It's all right taking all these other things. But you've got to learn. Healthy habits. Yeah. We love to know about healthy habits. Claire and I, like, just, we, we just, we know that's the only way to do it.

Finding meals that feel like treats

9:54So what would you say is like the biggest shift, Holly, in the way you've maybe were eating or drinking that you've made in this astounding weight loss journey? For myself, it was very much the finding something that felt a little bit naughty, but didn't feel like I'm eating this because I'm on a diet. It was that, oh, this feels like I'm having something naughty, but I'm totally not. It's just the way, different way of cooking it.

10:25And those change, small changes you make from going from cooking with oil to cooking with fry light. And those stay with you forever. And, yeah, finding that naughty things for me, it was like burger and fries that felt naughty, but, and hit that spot and got that craving out of the way. And that was a big part of my journey, finding those little things that made me feel like I wasn't on a diet, but I was.

10:58See, Sue, what's the best meal that Holly's ever cooked for you? She makes, and we have a chicken burger, and it's two chicken burgers on a burger, because when she first cooked it, I went, there's no way we can have that. And she went, if we can, and she told me, and I went, oh, okay, then. Let's give this a go. And it's, it's about using your swips as well. A lot of people don't like to use their swips within their cooking.

11:29They like to save them up, you know, of a night. We, we still use them within our cooking and still have that little treat of a night. That balance, that Slimming World individual picks is there as part of the plan for balance. Yeah. Yeah. So a double chicken burger, is that what Holly's, like, signature dish is? Have you got chips? I just need some. Okay. Like a breaded. So it was one of the recipes in the Fake Way book. I love that book. So good. And using one of your fiber choices as the bread in and making that chicken burger.

12:06And that was, yeah, it was that sort of thing that, oh, that seems really naughty, but it's not. And then there's also other ones that I found, like, going through the shop and using the app and scanning every little thing to see what is the best out there. And especially social media is a massive part. And even if you don't go to a group with someone, there's people on social media that also show you things that you can go, oh, I found this at Asda or wherever.

12:38And you're like, oh, that looks really nice. I want to go try that. And you go in for that thing that you found on social media from someone that also goes somewhere but is nowhere near you. And it's always sold out, isn't it? And then you meet someone else in there and you're like, are you here for that? And they're like, yeah, but it's sold out. And they've got their scanner ready. You literally give them a little wink. Yeah. It's like a community. Now, wherever you go, you will find a Slimming World member, won't you? Yeah. You always know those Slimming World members because they walk around with their phones scanning stuff and you think, yeah.

13:10It takes them eight hours to do the video. Yeah. Do you know what really strikes me with you two? You feel like you've had fun. You've eaten lovely food. You've had a gorgeous time at Greep. Now, a lot of people, when they think about a weight loss journey, fun and joy are not two words that come together. How have you made this joyous? How have you enjoyed the process as well as the outcome? I think doing it together has really helped.

13:39Having that guardian angel on my shoulder going, oh, you got there, has really helped. But we have a WhatsApp group as well. We've like, there's four of us in it that, you know, it's from Slimming World and we have to post our meals overnight.

13:57What we're eating throughout the day. And like, when you don't see a post from someone, you're like, oh, what have you had? And like, so you've even got that group support outside of group throughout the week. And those little communities that you build and the friendships that you also make have really helped. And going to group and staying to group isn't, is fun. It's that social event also for a lot of people, like getting out and talking to people and

14:29trying new things. Like, I know that we, each week we try and find something new, like a bar or some sort of snack and you take it into group and you go, look, I found this, try this. And that chat just before group really is amazing in the sport. See, you know, you're in your 20s. Like some people in their 20s might be like, is Slimming World cool? I mean, how do you respond to that? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's, you'd be surprised.

15:02Like you would think like, oh gosh, Slimming World probably isn't for my age range. But trust me, there is, there's loads of people in, especially in my group and the communities you build inside, not just in your age range, but also your age range as well. You learn new things and also learning different people's cultures and what they like to eat and then integrating that into your life is really nice as well. But yeah, it's fun.

15:32And it's not like, oh, I've got to go to groups, stand on those scales and then listen to my consultant. It's fun. Do you know what? I also think that I was watching in one of my groups the other week, where in today's society am I going to find a 17 year old lad and an 89 year old woman having a coffee, chatting about mini baby bells? You don't get that social interaction in the same way these days, do you? And actually, you don't recognise how much you need that sense of community, that camaraderie,

16:05but also learning from other people and being around people that perhaps you wouldn't meet in the rest of your life, would you? So it's weird. Yeah, people you wouldn't talk to in every day long. I love sitting back and watching them when I'm, you know, doing my paperwork and they're all just chatting, you know, that bit in between way and group. And like you say, when you share your snacks, that's where the dynamite happens. I think I need to put a microphone on mine to find out all the gossip, but it's really true, isn't it? Like a ref cam or something. Totally. Find out all the gossip.

Handling holidays and summer socialising

16:35Do you know, I was just thinking right now it's like summertime and actually this time of year can be where some people really tend to have a bit of a wobble. How do you two handle all that summer has to throw at you with holidays and beer gardens perhaps or socialising and picnics? Have you got any hints and tips? You can still go out and have things. Yes, you've got to be a bit more mindful and we go out for meals, you know, you can have a pudding and everything.

17:05Yes, okay, the next day you've got to go straight back on it. That one day doesn't turn into a week. Yeah, don't like, just because you've had one bad meal, don't let that completely throw you the rest of your week. Don't think, oh, wow, I've blew it that day, so I'll try again next week. No, because you'd be surprised. It's only one meal out of how many in a week. Like, that isn't going to completely change everything you do. And especially for you, Mum, like, before, before I was at Crete, you used to go on holiday and

17:40leave that diet at that front door and go, I'm on holiday, I'm going to do whatever you want. And now you're completely different, aren't you? Yeah. I'm still enjoying my holidays, but I am just mindful, and I make better choices. And I still enjoy it. What's the different choices you might be making, Sue? Like, what was previous decisions and what are the current decisions? Again, it was the, you know, come lunchtime, you go on an all-inclusive, aren't you? So, and you get up and have your breakfast, I'm a bit more mindful of what I have for

18:14my breakfast.

18:17And lunch, you don't really want your lunch, but you go, well, let's go and have a look.

18:29If you're not hungry, you're like, well, I'm on all-inclusive. Like, I'm spent most of my money that I've spent on this holiday. So, but actually, like, you have to think, well, am I actually hungry? Or is it just because it's there, I'm going to eat it? And that's what really helped for you. Yeah. But I could put on, I could put on at least £11 on a holiday. And I've come back, what, about four weeks ago, haven't I?

18:59And I maintained. I don't know how I've done that, but I did. I'm getting Holly to join group and whip you by the start of it. It's when she comes back off a holiday and then maintains. And I'm like, really? Really? How have you done that? But you found when you get back off holiday, just because you're back off holiday and say you've got three days before group, you're straight back on it as soon as you get on. Try to mitigate that damage a little bit, don't you?

19:31Yeah. It's not like, oh, well, I've had a week's holiday. I won't go to group next this week. I'll try and pull it back for next. No, don't. You've got to go. Face the music. Face them scales. And see what the reality is. If it's, you know, a game, you deal with it. Life, it has its ups and downs. We can't all just plod along and maintain or lose each week.

20:03You're going to have them gains. But then you've got to just deal with them. Sounds like you've made some real sustainable change, though. So you can still go and enjoy that holiday, have a spectacular time, but come back with and maintain from putting £11 on. That is fostering and creating habits that are livable, isn't it? Because you don't want to sit at home and say, I can never go on holiday again, because I might not be able to make the choices I once used to, actually. You're getting the best of both worlds in this new... Yeah, I think, yeah, when I first started, I just thought, you know, people would say,

20:34oh, should we go out for a meal? No, no, no, I can't. But I have known you, like, you can. And most of the menus nowadays, they've got the calories. And you look down and say, oh, what can I have? Or before you're going out, I found, like, say you go, okay, we're going here for tea. Let's look at the menu while I'm at home and go, right, I'm going to have that. So when I get to the pub or the restaurant or wherever, and you're like, right, I'm having this.

21:09I'm going to go to the toilet. You order for me. So you don't hear what other people are having and go, oh, well, that sounds nice. No. Sort of, soon as you decide what you're going to have, stick into that and going, right, I'm having this. I don't want to look at the rest of the menu. I'm having this. Yeah, and don't do peer pressure because they will go, oh, no, just have that, have that. No, you know, sometimes it's peer pressure. So the idea about, you know, keeping each other going then,

Confidence changes and fitness gains

21:42that healthy competition that turned into kind of more of a like a support, I'll ask you kind of both separately then. What does it say, Holly, that you see about your mum as a result of her losing weight? And then I'll ask Sue the same. Mum's confidence has grown so much when she's lost the weight. And she's gone from wearing those big baggy clothes that hide yourself and going into nice tight dresses that show off your figure.

22:15And she seems so much more confident and happy in herself as well and enjoying herself. She's not worrying about, oh, I've got to wear this on holiday or she's just like, yeah, I can wear this. And yeah, and I feel like, I feel like she's just got younger. She looks younger in herself and now she's lost her this way, which is really nice. And she, I do like shopping in her wardrobe because she has so many, so many nice new clothes. And I'm like, oh, that's nice. I'm going to rob that, which has really been nice.

22:51But yeah, we've, we've got so close. We've won in that. I feel like some mud has brought us closer and we talk more. I don't just go sit up in my room like I used to and basically fester away and rot. We sit down and sit in the living room and chat and it has brought us so much closer. How about you, Sue? Yeah, it has brought us really close. And I am really proud of Holly for the amount she has lost and she's stuck at it.

23:27She's had a little wobbles and tantrums when the scales haven't gone away. And Michelle, you know, our consultant, she's brilliant. And she's brought her back round and, you know, she's been back on it. And again, it has brought us closer together. We go out shopping now where Holly would never go out shopping because she couldn't go to the likes of, I'd say, normal shops because there was nothing that fitted her.

24:02And, you know, loads of times now we go out. And I think Holly, you know, she's probably taught me as well that I can wear fitted clothes. Oh, and also her health as well. You must, as a mum, you must be so relieved to see Holly healthy. It is. And she goes through swimming three times a week now. And that's really nice that she's kept, you know, she goes swimming.

24:33And she's met friends at swimming. So she goes out that bit more because she would never go out. I have to say, Holly had to move locations and to have heard the story about how poorly your knee was, to watch how quickly you darted out of that room and made it to the other. Like, your fitness and your knee is doing well by the looks of things, isn't it? Are you well now? Is your knee good? Yeah, fully recovered. I had a bit of a scare after I had the surgery. I had a blood clot in my leg.

25:03So that sent me back a little bit. So I couldn't go back to Swing World for, I think it was about five months. So, but after that, I had a few issues, but swimming really helped with that, with the rehabilitation. And my exercises helped me so much along the way. And swimming, it's given me a lot. It's given me a lot of confidence. You'd think, oh gosh, going out on that pool for the very first time and being in your swimming costume, yeah, can be very daunting.

25:40And I thought, oh, I'm going to be the biggest person there. And you know what? I wasn't. Everyone was there to also do the exact same thing I was. And also the lifeguards at the swimming pool, madly enough, going, oh my gosh, look at you now. How much have you lost? And having that chat with them every time I go. And yeah, again, meeting some, meeting one of my friends that I speak to very often. And we now swim three times a week together. And I would have never have met her if I didn't go swimming for that first time.

26:12And that's helped me so much along the way, especially with the money and rehabilitating it. And it's nice to go out and we bump into people and we smile at them and they smile back and they're thinking, who's that? And then it takes them about five minutes to think, oh, you're Holly, aren't you? And people that you know really well and not recognising you at all, it's like, really, have I changed that much? Because I think in myself, I look at myself and sometimes I don't see how much I've lost, which is not great.

26:50But then I go into a shop and I pick up a size, say 14, and then I go try it on and I'm like, oh my gosh, this is so big on me. And not realising my size now and that was, and going, oh my gosh, okay, I'll try a 12. Oh no, actually, I can fit into a 10. And that was those moments you realise, wow, I've actually lost a lot of weight. And those things, those little moments, those non-scale victories really help as well.

Burger recipes and podcast sign-off

27:26Gosh.

Burger recipes and podcast sign-off

27:27So let's just pretend that we're in group and you're the social team and a new person walks through the door and they look a little bit nervous, possibly like you were when you first came in. What is the advice that you have to those people? I would echo exactly what someone echoed to me the minute I walked through that door, that we are all there for the exact same reason. And we're all cheerleaders of each other and you have to just give it a go.

27:59It will change your life walking through those doors and everyone is there to help you and support you. And soon as they, a lot of the time, Michelle is like, this is Holly, she's lost this much weight. And they're like, wow, we do inspire a lot of people in group and that also helps their journey. And they're like, well, if Holly can do it and she's lost 13 stone and say someone walks in and only needs to lose three. They're like, well, she's done 13.

28:29I can definitely do three. And that also eggs on a lot of the new members.

28:37Oh, how nice. I mean, it's been so lovely to talk to both of you. And I know there's a phone going off in the kitchen. Is that possibly the WhatsApp group sending photos of their tea? I think it is actually. I think I did see something pop off on my phone. Is it? Because I was like, can we find out what's been said on that group? What have they had to do? Like, what's what's everyone had for tea in the group tonight? We need to know. I'm on my phone. You'd probably know. Yeah. Holly's on her phone. Yeah, I'm on my phone.

29:08I can't have a look. I don't know. What did you have for your tea, Holly? Come on. This is really important news. Also, can I just say, I like you say tea. Fellow Midlander, Anna doesn't like the word tea. She's like, what? I just said it, though, didn't I? I'd say supper, darling. But they beat that out. What have you had for your evening meal tonight, Holly? I had the, so it's the burger salad. So burgers. Burger in a bowl. Yeah, burger in a bowl. Oh, perfect. You and your burgers. Yeah, it's something that feels, oh, I've got, yeah, I've got a thing for burgers.

29:39I have too. I think we're kindred spirits. Like, literally. It's just that thing that feels a little bit naughty, but isn't. And, yeah. And it was my go-to pre-weight loss, so I liked certain golden arches, and if I can recreate that, I'd still lose weight. That's what I want. Oh, I've tried so many different burgers from so many different places, and you're like, oh, this one's this many swips. Oh, this one's this many swips. Oh, let's see if I like this one more than this one. And it's like, gang, me, tweet, trying to find different burgers.

30:09And standing in a supermarket scanning lots of different burgers. Do you know what, I think you should set up your own Instagram, which is just dedicated to what burgers work on Slimming World. Yeah. All these burgers, yeah. What ones taste the nicest. And all the recipes, exactly. Reels, we've got reels. We want the washing up in there. We want it all. Yeah. Because it's messy making a burger. You know, it's messy work. Yeah, and that's why I do like to try and make the ones that are pre-bought, because

30:42it's just fun. It saves time, but yeah. There's a burning question about burgers, and I know this isn't a burger podcast. Have you done the one where you put the mini baby bell inside the beef burger? Mum has. Oh, yeah. I've tried that one. Oh, Holly. I've done that one. I haven't tried that one myself. I've done it with the meatballs. Yes. I've done the meatball, baby bell, and then the meatball on top. And then the cheese goes crispy. Holly, you need to get this in your life, because the crispy, cheesy bottom is better than anything. Yeah, Ash, give that one and go next.

31:14Please. First on your Instagram. Really enjoyed this. I don't get out enough, clearly. I've had a great evening. We should add, the cheeses are available.

31:24Don't work as well as that one we've just mentioned.

31:28All right. Oh, goodness me. Right. Well, I think everyone's off for a burger after listening to this. This has been a real lovely injection of enthusiasm, energy, and motivation for our series. You two are a hoot. I think anybody who goes to the ball in November, they'll all be queuing up to hang out with you guys. Someone's going to bring you like a burger squidgy or a crocheted burger now. Who says burgers?

32:02It's a burger handbag you can buy, Holly, that's all beaded. Oh, my. Yeah. Shall I say? This has taken a turn. I was just getting mum and a lamby on that one. Can we clarify one thing, though? What is it that you normally put a burger in? What do you call the bread item? Sometimes I don't, to be fair. You know, I mean, what do you call it? Are you a bap? A balm? A cob. You're a cob. A roll. See, we'd go like a chip butting for where we are.

32:35But, yeah, I'd call it a bun. But, yeah, bun. Yeah. Burger bun. Burger bun, yeah. They call it a balm cake here. Can't deal with that. Bread roll, love. I had a batch. That was mine. Or a bat. And I'm only from Coventry, you see. So, yeah, bap as well. I like a lettuce leaf, personally. A California. A mushroom. A big mushroom. Yeah. Or a naked. I'm quite happy naked. Yeah, I like it. I like the big one, yeah. That could be quoted. Just a bit of cheese on top.

33:05Nice and grilled. Cheese in the middle. Yeah. I'm all over the cheese. But just maybe. Look, I'm going to have to end this because I'm starving at the end of this podcast. I am absolutely starving. I know. To be fair, I've had my dinner and I'm already hungry. I might. You could go and eat a burger right now. Crochet some ducks. Yeah. Let's go crochet some ducks to stop me snacking. Will we? Have you ever crocheted a burger? I haven't thought about that. Now we're talking, sister. Yes. A crocheted burger. Come on, Holly.

33:35I have to find a pattern for that. Oh, my God.

33:39It's been a pleasure. It has. It has been a pleasure. Take care, you guys. And hopefully we'll get to meet you in person soon. Yes. For a burger. Yeah.

33:53Oh, right. Whatever you're getting up to on this bank holiday weekend. I hope it's a great one. And keep this one. Bookmark this if you're listening on the Summer World members app. Bookmark this for a time that you need a bit of energy and a bit of burger motivation. Burger-spiration. I can't think of a pun to put in here. We'll be back next week with some more entertaining stuff. What are we actually doing next week? What are we doing? Making burgers. We're actually talking about motivational toolkits.

34:23So we'll keep the mojo rolling. Yeah. If I'm calling it, it'd be nice and be able to get the barbecue out and put the burgers on. Oh, there we go. Right. That's the sign-off right there. Sue's nailed it. See you guys later. Bye for now. Bye. Bye.

35:09Bye. Bye. Bye.