Louise loses 50lbs on Slimpod and finds ‘the me I wanted to be’

SLIMPODDER Louse O’Leary used to run a Slimming World group, so she knows all about dieting and how it can affect your emotional wellbeing. “I was a slave to Slimming World syns and a slave to the scales every Sunday,” she says.

“The real difference with Slimpod is that it has retrained my brain to not be thinking like Slimming World.

“Not to be worrying every minute of every day about how many calories I’ve eaten and saving up treats like chocolate to the end of the day.”

On Slimpod, Louise has lost 50lbs (22kg) and gone from a size 22 to a size 12.

“Slimpod has also taken away the guilt of ‘failing’ and made me accept that losing weight takes time,” says Louise. “It has given me the patience with myself to give myself the room to succeed.”

Best of all, she says she’s realised for the first time that “it doesn’t matter what you weigh, it’s how you feel. Now I’m the person I always wanted to be.”

BEFORE and AFTER Slimpod: Louise has lost a super 50lbs and says she’s keeping it all off with ease

Louise, who lives on Merseyside, is such an upbeat, positive person that I was delighted when she agreed to shoot this video with me so everyone can benefit from her experience.

The video is on The Slimpod Channel on YouTube, so while you’re there it will really help me if you hit the Like, Share and Subscribe buttons if you haven’t already.

“Slimpod took all the pressure off me and made losing weight easy and enjoyable.

“I never use food as a treat now. If I want something I eat it – but I don’t say it’s a reward because I’ve been good.

“I have it because I’m in control of what I eat. I’ve also embraced exercise which has been part of my success.” She’s particularly proud that instead of just looking after he daughter’s pony, she how has the figure and the confidence to ride it.

Now Louise doesn’t just care for the pony, she loves riding it as well

Do let Louise know what you think

Please do leave a comment below to let Louise know how well she’s done.

All comments are monitored by the Slimpod team, so yours make take a little while to appear.

Every day I share helpful motivational tips and advice on Instagram and I’d love you to follow my page @sandraroycroftdavis

324 thoughts on “Louise loses 50lbs on Slimpod and finds ‘the me I wanted to be’”

    1. Thanks Wendy. We’ve all been brought up to think of food as a reward, it takes some time to rewire our thoughts!

      1. I’ve just started my free trial today and Louise’s story is a real inspiration. My goal too is to get back on board one of our horses.
        Congratulations Louise on your amazing success.

      2. Denise McLaughlin

        I’m going through this atm between slimming world and slimpod
        I’ve just started my journey but do notice positive changes

      1. Stick with it Linda, our “diet club” experiences have set our expectations for immediate results (not sustainable ones though). Good luck

        1. Very interesting listening to your fantastic story and hearing about the journey you have been on. I’m about 5 weeks into Slimpod and find stories such as your inspiring.
          Congratulations on your success and thank you for your tips.

      1. Ive spent my life on diets im 62 i started at twelve. Ive lost 5 stones 4 times in my life only yo put it on. I live with guilt everyday. Im now onto calorie deficit and still no success for years it was slimming world weight watchers etc etc.. i want freedom from guilt scales
        and my binge night after club. Fingers crossed

        1. Linda, you are most successful than you realise, losing five stones is an amazing achievement, keeping it off even harder. I have started the Slimpod challenge, the man’s voice at the very least makes me sleepy, so that a bonus, its early days, but I am hopeful that this time it will actually work and I will stop suffering from the burden of snacking all the time to solve, stress, energy lows etc. It does not solve any of the problems and leaves you feeling more sluggish. I am 66, its never too late to retrain your brain. Good Luck

  1. Louise thank you for sharing your inspiring story. It’s great that you managed to get rid of the diet-club mentality.

  2. Wonderful story has motivated me to get started again,iv had long covid and did a trial on getting me back on my feet loosing weight hasn’t been priority,but I have found exercise which was part of course.i joined agym a year ago after it and its the best thing I ever did igo 4 mornings a week and started on a chair now completely doing as much as the others in class. I’m going to start walking everyday weather permitting,and now iv seen your wonderful video I will start listening to the pods again and have some results notice I didn’t use the four letter word so thank you bothx

    1. Everything we do is exercise like Trevor says, make it achievable and be proud of yourself for everything you do to improve. Best of luck

      1. Louise, you are so relatable and inspirational. I particularly love the way you describe eating pizza and ice cream as joining in with your family, not a treat. Thanks x

  3. Well done Louise, I was thinking of joining Slimming World again but after seeing your story, I will get back to listening to the pods and watching the videos. Thank you.

    1. I am at that same crossroads. Was going to start Slimming World again from tomorrow, but maybe I’ll get back to listening to the pods and watching the videos too! I have re-started so many times but really, really do need to do this now as my knees and ankles are really complaining!

    2. Hi Kate, the process does work but it’s the opposite of diet clubs, it’s not about the food it’s about our behaviours and relationships with food, personally I feel Slimpod and Diet clubs approaches conflict. We have to solve the underlying reason for over eating before we can stop over eating. Good luck

  4. Well done . I wish we could get the message through to the rest of the world my friend included that needs to lose weight before an operation and has gone back to SW for the umpteenth time . Thank you for your story

    1. Keeping us all thinking the food is the problem is a lucrative industry!!!! It is freeing to be able to eat without the guilt and self loathing. Good luck Rachael

  5. Antoinette McLaughlin

    I have just joined too and your story is so inspirational Louise. Thank you for sharing and providing some good tips. You look amazing ?

  6. Thank you so much for sharing this. So inspirational and reassuring. I’m 50 and have yo yo dieted for 20+ years and am struggling with the concept of trusting myself and the method. I am 100% committed to this, I just need patience. Will be seeking out a buddy for support I think. I have 4st to lose, so I have to remember this is a marathon not a sprint/quick fix.
    Thank you again for sharing this xx

    1. So true Dawn. I accepted I was going to go from a 22 to 10 in a couple of months. I stayed at 16 for many months and enjoyed it, I didn’t put pressure on myself to get to the next size. I still hav more to go I set my achievable goals and work towards them. I takes the pressure of failure away. Good luck

  7. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us, you are truly inspirational and helps me believe that all these small changes I’m already experiencing only a week in are in fact real and that I need to continue to believe and plod as the journey to my ideal will be as long or bumpy as it needs to be to become a natural way of life

    1. The little changes are the foundation of the overall change… my first week I stopped eating crisps (I would get 6 packs a day). I didn’t even think about them….I was amazed! Good luck

  8. Dear Louise,
    I’ve just finished watching your video and it has made lots of sense because my brain still works with syns and rewards and calorie counting and just feel like slave to food. Food is something that you need to live, it shouldn’t be the centre of everything because you have to think about what, how and how much, do I over do it? Will it reflect on the scales? I’m fed up and tired and want to enjoy life!!!

    1. Hi Asun it is truly freeing and liberating not to be a slave to the scales. I thought about weighing myself new years day (first time in 4/5 months) then I thought why do I need to? I put the scale away. Old me would have stepped on and closed my eyes too afraid to see what I did at Xmas. New me didn’t care my clothes still fit, I feel good and I have a lovely time. That’s all I needed to know!

  9. How many times in a day did you listen to the pods i am too old to run and the weight just keeps coming back I keep on trying though

  10. Wow what a journey Louise thank you for sharing and giving myself and other’s inspiration. Your story has made me realise that I need to refocus get rid of the diet group mindset that I’ve done for over 25 years and keep failing and start writing my story – so it begins now a massive THANK YOU.

    1. Hi Deborah it’s hard to unpick it we see it everywhere, it’s part of our collective mindset so you have to give yourself time and not be hard on yourself when it creeps back in at times. Good luck

  11. Well done Louise.Before covid I used to go to slimming world too ..Sadly its all scales related. So happy for your progress on Slimpod .You look amazing.Keep going !

    1. I love it Sophy I’ve watched my daughter ride for years and kept saying one day I’ll be light enough to ride. Now I am finally…never give up eh?

  12. From one horse rider to another, thank you for your inspiring story. The horses are such a motivation for me too. Congratulations on your success 🙂

    1. Thanks Ruth. Dolly (our Section D) is still confused when I get on, she’s used to be doing all the ground work?

  13. I know Lou personally and she is the reason I joined Slimpod, she is one of the most up beat positive people I know. Super proud of what you’ve achieved Lou and I know how much it means for you to be able to ride Dolly x

  14. Hi, I too have at least that amount of weight to loose. Watching the video has put a few things into perspective, thanks for sharing. I am at the start of my journey and am looking forward to the journey ahead.

  15. So happy AT LAST to hear you say what I’ve been thinking all along about Slimming World! You’ve finally given me the confidence to follow my thoughts and commit 100% to Slimpod.

  16. Fantastic, will definitely take on board that food is not a treat or reward for being good, this is something I’ve done for decades, thank you for pointing that out to me x

  17. Amazing Louise. You are a breath of fresh air. I started slimpod like you after seeing it on Facebook 1st Feb 21 and loved it, doing great til July of that yr when I took plantar fasciitis and ended up in a boot for 6 wks. Slowly over the next 15 months I completely lost my way and have undid all that good. Can’t seem to get back on track but listening to your video and Sandra this morning I am determined to start my journey again. Thankyou both. You are looking fabulous Louise. I believe now I can do this again. Continued success to you both.

  18. I have attended SW numerous times and I have a cousin who is a leader.
    I knew the ethos wasn’t right not for me or anyone.
    So glad for you .I hope my cousin will find the same path as I, You and many others.

  19. This video with Louise has been really helpful in making me think about breaking cycles ….I’ve still been wanting to record what I eat as it’s been so ingrained from dieting on and off since I was 23. I’m 54 now and certainly heavier than I was at 23. Very thought provoking.

  20. I loved reading and watching Louise’s journey. Because I could relate to everything she has been through.

    I didn’t realise I was a slave to the scales, rewarding myself with food etc and all the emotions and feelings linked to that.

    I also had forgotten the emotional rollercoaster when beginning a diet and all the pressures and negatives mindsets you get sucked into as well.

    Thank you for sharing your story Louise. Your inspiration and given me a boost.

    I have been on Slimpod a couple of weeks now and have also noticed I’m not snacking. I have weighed myself and have not lost weight. But that’s ok. I know it’s going to take time.

    I have noticed my eating habits have started changing too. I am not interested in snacking but I having healthier food choices and not being resentful about I am choosing to eat.

    I feel like I respect myself more and want to look after myself for my health and wellbeing by eating better rather than by forcing to eat healthy because that’s the only way to lose weight.

    Thank you Louise x

  21. So much of what you say has resonated with me. I have tried diet clubs, shakes etc but, like you, always knew it was the way I used food as a reward that was the problem. I am only on my first week but can already feel the subtle change in my mindset. Thank you Louise for your inspirational story, I know it will help me on my journey

  22. Absolutely awesome Louise, thank you so much for sharing. I am on my 1st day and the thing I’m going to take from this is “ not using food as a treat” which I gave done for sooo long. Thank you x

  23. Thank you for sharing Louise. This is just the inspiration I am looking for at the start of my journey with slim pod. You look amazing well done!

  24. Very inspiring. I’ve just joined and started this very different journey and feeling very out of my comfort zone. Good to hear such a positive story told from the heart. Well done! ??????

  25. Thank you Louise.. you look amazing.. well done .. it’s day 3 for me ?
    I’m 56 and for 40 years of my life I have been on and off WW and Slimming World diets .. when on them I was constantly thinking about food .. . Thank you again for sharing your success ❤️

  26. I loved this video as I can really relate to a lot of what was said, saving syns for rewards, no good at willpower, impatient for quick results etc. Thank you & well done for sharing, it’s made me feel I’m definitely doing the right thing finally ?

  27. Shirley Metcalfe

    This is awesome Louise, I only started on my journey to a me I love yesterday, but your story has given me the encouragement I need.

  28. It’s a really encouraging story about losing weight being a process . I’m only day2 and have a lot of weight to lose . Louise s experience is a really useful reminder that I’m not going to be a size 12 in 12 weeks .

  29. What a lovely story and so relatable and inspiring as I start out on my own rebalancing process. Words of wisdom about being patient and not expecting instant results. Really helpful to hear! Thank you and wishing you many more decades of pony riding enjoyment!

  30. I am just starting and like you Louise, knew it was my mind blocking success but didn’t know how to retrain it! I feel inspired by your story, and am excited for what the next year will look like for me!

  31. Hi have listened to your chat tonight and I feel that I am starting on my journey to a healthy hopefully a lighter me.

  32. I was nodding in agreement all through your video, especially re: using food as a reward. I’m only on day one of Slimpod, but feel very inspired.

  33. Thanks Louise! I am on my first few days of this journey & you have helped me to put things in perspective! I’ve got this!

  34. Really enjoyed your chat with Louise, I have a horse too, I did ride him but feel I need to lose weight and get fit to ride him safely. On day 3 and very hopeful for the first time in a long time ???

  35. Wow!!! Well done x you really are an inspiration and coming from a SW background myself, I could so relate to the battle of the scales and rewarding myself with syns etc… you have inspired me! Thank you! And again well done x you look incredible x

  36. Just to say you look amazing and so great that you can enjoy the pony more as not just a chore, but actually the joy of riding him.

  37. You have given me inspiration and hope! And more importantly the realisation it will take time and patience! Thanks for sharing your experience

  38. I’m a newbie to the program and just loved your video and the reality check of how the diet industry has fooled us all and actually made us yo yo dieters.
    Well done you on your journey so far and for the inspiration you have given to me tonight ???

  39. Wow!!! Powerful and could resonate with what she was saying. I’m a week in and I keep flipping from excited to sceptical.
    Well done.

  40. Brilliant really inspiring ? well done. So much of what you say resonates with me, that awful guilt cycle thought l was just me. Thank you ?

  41. Well done Louise you seem so happy to be out of the guilt cycle. I’ve also done multiple diets and felt a huge failure each time. I’m really feeling good about Slimpod.

  42. Absolutely amazing.. you’ve given me the push to keep plodding on…snacking is my big downfall in evenings..hoping I’ll get to the point where that will stop

  43. Well done Louise, what an inspiring story, it was great to listen to how you have been able to change your mind set and eating habits. This is my first day of slimpod, lovely to hear such a positive story.

  44. What an inspiration you are…I also did slimming world and I never had an issue with binge eating before it but I struggle to control it now and I had this lightbulb moment when reading your story that slimming world does almost train you to see the “bad” foods as a reward so you associate them with a treat or being good or something that makes you feel better when you’re feeling down! I have learnt about food groups and which foods have higher syns than I thought and how to fill up on calorie dense foods ….but when I reached my target weight I became afraid to just maintain and still wanted to lose and I ended up weighing 7stone 10lb, I’ve put some weight back on now and have now developed a chocolate or biscuit or pastry binge eating habit which I am finding hard to control. I’m really hoping this programme will help me because I have the sweetest tooth in the world and I can’t stop myself from buying the things I shouldn’t be eating! At the moment, I couldn’t just eat one biscuit. I’d have to eat a quarter or half the packet and I don’t want to undo the good work I did.
    I just don’t want to want sweet stuff anymore.
    I’m hoping I can be as successful as you have been, thank you for sharing your positive story and well done again for your hard work.

  45. Well done Louise. You look amazing. You are an inspiration to others. I have just started my journey and hope Slimpod works for me. ?

  46. I found your story inspirational. I’ve just signed up to Slimpod, and like you, I’m starting off with the same dress size. I got to the point where I felt I’d run out of options.
    Im looking forward to my journey.

  47. This resonates with me in so many ways – particularly the connection to Slimming World as I have wanted to be a consultant all of my adult life, but have never managed to get to target ?
    Well done you – and thank you for sharing this as now my main aim in life is just to be the best me I can be! I am only on day 3 but already have a sense of hope again! I’ve felt this sense of hope so many times over the years – ( I’m a lifetime member of S W) – but constantly having my hopes dashed every time I go off plan, then spiral into beating myself up for the next while!!!
    Well I’m sick of beating myself up – I’m starting to trust this process, so thank you again ??

  48. I’m only on day 4 and have just signed up for a 12 week countdown with SW. After listening to you, I’ve realised that I think about food all day! What’s for breakfast and while I’m eating that I’m already thinking about lunch and dinner. From now on, I’ll let my body tell me when I’m hungry and if I want avocado or multiseed bread or both as I did today, I’ll have it. By not thinking about food all day, I’ve found time for exercise, for hobbies, for fun, for life! You’ve been an inspiration, listening to you, something clicked in my brain, thank you and well done for what you’ve achieved.

  49. Sheena Bramhall-Green

    Brilliant I’ve only just started and knowing that I am not ruled by weigh ins and comments from a “group leader” is actually nice and I don’t feel as though I am being naughty just for eating 1 biscuit

  50. Well done Louise, I enjoyed your vid. Ive just started on Slimpod and found it inspiring and could relate to your story, especially about the ‘dread’ of weigh in’s and thinking about food all the time. Im starting to feel ‘different’ and will continue with the pods as it appears to be working! Thanks for sharing.

  51. Annette Ellis