A dad who suffered two heart attacks in one week has gone on to shed 3st in his weight loss journey.
Leigh Waddington, 43, had struggled with his size since the age of 18 and with his job as a HGV driver he’s always behind the wheel.
He would often get pins and needles in his arms as he also found himself getting out of breath really quick.
After his health problems it spurred him on to kick-start his transformation and now he’s pleased with his progress so far.
Since he joined Slimming World, Leigh can’t believe that he’s already dropped 3st in a matter of six months.
He said: “After settling down to get some sleep in a lorry park, I started getting sharp pains in my jaw which felt like indigestion.”
Leigh added: “When I got home that weekend, I had another sharp pain in my chest and down my left arm.
“I Googled my symptoms and saw they could be related to a cardio problem, so I decided to call 999.
“The ambulance performed an ECG which showed I was having a heart attack and it was likely to have been my second that week.”
After the health scare, Leigh felt “miserable” with his cardiologist telling him to change his diet.
Then in January 2019, the dad went to support his sister who said she was joining her local Slimming World group.
He detailed: “I went on to lose 3st in 6 months and I wished I’d joined years earlier!
“Joining Slimming World has taught me new ways of looking at food and generally how to have a healthier lifestyle.
“When I think about my diet before I joined Slimming World, I can’t believe it.
“Now I batch cook at the weekends and make full use of my fridge freezer and microwave on the lorry instead of having junk food.”
After his divorce following the first lockdown, Leigh moved closer to his family so his twin brother joined Slimming World too.
Leigh revealed: “I know Sean [my brother] was extremely sceptical until it started working and then he lost weight too!
“Since losing weight I have so much more energy and I’m more active. I never did any exercise before as I was always too tired.
“Now I’m passionate about being active and I love feel so proud that I’ve turned my life around by joining Slimming World.
“Before I lost weight, I was always so worried about my health, I couldn’t think about anything else.”
Tina Hayward runs the Wem and Whitchurch Slimming World groups and is Leigh’s Consultant.
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She said: “Leigh is a popular member of our group.
“Everyone loves to hear what amazing meals he’s been making each week and his hints and tips.
“I’ve seen Leigh’s confidence grow and I’m so proud of his achievement.”
For more information or to find your nearest group, visit slimmingworld.co.uk.