Luton woman voted Woman of the Year after shedding 3 stone at Slimming World

A slimmer from Luton has been named Woman of the Year after shedding the stones.

Zoe Richardson from Luton had been going to Slimming World on and off since her teens. But at the start of January 2023, she decided she needed to make a change after tipping the scales at over 20 stone.

She said: “I had gone to London in December 2022 for a Christmas outing and having my photo taken outside of the Savoy should have been special but instead all I could focus on was how huge my face looked in the photo.

For Zoe, the turning point came after a work meeting with her Hertfordshire Police bosses when she struggled to keep up with her colleagues as they walked through a London Underground station. She explained: “I knew I had to make a change and fast!”

The 33-year-old transformed herself and her lifestyle by ditching the diets she was used to falling in and out of. She explained: “I knew I needed to make a lifestyle change. Fresh outlook on life and striving to put healthy fuel into my body and start to exercise. So much so that I am able to do 10,000 steps plus a day and it has started to become more of a healthy obsession!”

She listens to music as she pounds the pavements of Marsh Farm and Barton Hills for hours a day. Zoe puts her three-stone weight loss success down to discipline, determination and encouragement from her mum, Karen. After nearly a year of hard work, she has been named as the Bramingham group’s Woman of the Year.

Zoe goes to a Saturday morning session at Bramingham Primary School which she said has helped her to stay motivated. She added: “Staying in a group is key to picking up tips, understanding more about relationships with food and learning key skills to enjoy life but still stay on plan and continue to lose weight.”

Sarah, who runs the weekly sessions, said: “I am so proud of Zoe for making the lasting habit changes.”