Tanya’s Story: Reclaiming Myself with Slimpod

For years, I lived in a cycle of eating too much, drinking too much, working too hard, and putting everyone else first. As a mum of four and a full-time carer for my elderly parents, my own wellbeing was the last thing on my mind. Food was just fuel to keep me going, and not in a good way—I’d grab whatever was available and throw it down without a second thought. As a result, I was overweight, tired, and mentally exhausted.

Like so many others, I tried every diet under the sun. Rosemary Conley, Weight Watchers, Slimming World—you name it, I did it. Weighing and measuring every bite, standing on the scales every day, letting a number dictate my mood. I was stuck in the exhausting pattern of losing weight, gaining it back, and feeling like a failure every time.

Then life threw me some of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced. My marriage had ended after nearly 38 years, my eldest brother passed away from cancer, and just a few months later, my ex-husband—my best friend—suffered a fatal heart attack. Shortly after, I lost my mother. Through it all, I kept pushing forward, but inside, I was barely holding on. My body and mind were weighed down by grief, stress, and years of self-neglect.

Then one day, a now familiar face kept popping up on my Facebook feed—Sandra. At first, I dismissed it as just another weight-loss programme. But on the anniversary of my brother’s death, something clicked. I was 60 years old, and I realised that if I didn’t start looking after myself, I was heading down the same path. So, I signed up for Slimpod, thinking, “I’ll give it 10 days.”

It wasn’t instant, and it wasn’t magic. But something was different. For the first time, I wasn’t obsessing over numbers. I stopped stepping on what I used to call my “mood step” every morning. No more letting a number on the scale dictate how I felt about myself. Instead, I focused on small, meaningful changes. I walked more. I took the stairs instead of the lift. I stopped punishing myself for eating a biscuit.

The transformation wasn’t just physical—it was mental. I used to believe I had to be a size 10 in 12 weeks. Now, my goals are different. I want to be able to walk up a hill without stopping. I want to look in the mirror and like who I see. And I do. I wear bright colours now instead of hiding in black. I buy earrings just because I love them. I walk with confidence. And the best part? People notice—not just the weight loss, but the lightness in me.

I still don’t know exactly how much weight I’ve lost, and I don’t care. The biggest weight I’ve shed is the one that lived in my mind—the guilt, the self-doubt, the feeling of being trapped in an endless cycle of failure. Slimpod didn’t just change how I eat. It changed how I think. I no longer let food control me. I eat what I enjoy, but I don’t need it to fill a void. I listen to my body, and I trust myself.

The most profound change? I put myself first. I used to feel selfish even considering it. But now, I understand that if I’m not at my best, I can’t be there for others. Taking care of myself isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.

Joining Slimpod was the best decision I ever made. Not because of the weight I’ve lost, but because of the life I’ve gained. If you’re reading this and feel stuck, I want you to know—it’s never too late. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to feel free. And you deserve to put yourself first.

I did. And I’ve never looked back.