From Disneyland Despair to Slimming World Success
A mother's anticipated magical holiday at Disneyland Paris descended into a distressing experience when her size prevented her from enjoying attractions with her children, catalysing a remarkable personal transformation.
The Theme Park Turning Point
Poppie Chapman, a 32-year-old from Mildenhall, Suffolk, had eagerly anticipated recreating childhood memories during a trip to Disneyland Paris with her daughter's dance school in October 2024. Instead, the visit became a source of profound discomfort and emotional pain. The safety bars on rides dug painfully into her stomach, making it impossible to participate alongside her excited children.
"Watching my children's faces fall as they went on rides without me was just heartbreaking," Poppie reveals. "I felt self-conscious, exhausted and like I'd failed them. I was in such a dark place." Beyond the ride restrictions, she struggled to walk around the expansive park, her mobility severely limited by her weight.
A History of Health Challenges
Poppie's weight struggles intensified significantly after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes during her second pregnancy. Standing at 5ft 4in, her weight had reached 14st 1lb, leading to serious mobility issues that forced her to use crutches and abandon her job as a retail assistant.
The psychological toll was equally devastating. "I was always the one hiding from photos and making excuses not to do things," she confesses. "In fact, I have no photographs of me with my children for the first few years of their lives. I just didn't want to be seen." She avoided taking her children to soft play centres and swimming pools, consumed by self-consciousness about her size.
The Slimming World Transformation
One month after the Disneyland trip, Poppie took what she describes as a life-changing step by joining her local Slimming World group. "I walked in with my head down, praying no one would look at me," she recalls. "I felt embarrassed, ashamed, like I wouldn't belong."
Instead of judgment, she discovered a supportive community. "You're surrounded by people who get it, people who cheer for you, cry with you, and lift you up when you can't lift yourself," Poppie explains. "That support kept me going on the days I wanted to give up."
The results have been extraordinary. In just eight months, she shed 5st 9lb, dropping from a size 20 to a slender size 6. Her current weight stands at 8st 4lb, but the transformation extends far beyond numbers on a scale.
Life Reclaimed and Rewritten
Poppie's physical and mental health have undergone a complete renaissance. Her energy levels have soared, enabling her to join a running club with friends and establish a local girls' football team that she plans to coach. "I wake up excited now," she says with evident joy. "I say yes to things. I'm in photos, in memories, in moments, and I'm living again."
Her professional life has blossomed alongside her personal transformation. Poppie has secured her dream role as a special educational needs teaching assistant while studying for an online degree, recently celebrating two promotions with ambitions to become a qualified SEN teacher.
The crowning achievement came when she was named Slimming World's Icon 2026, celebrating the most inspirational members across the UK and Ireland. Now she attends her Mildenhall group with her head held high, sometimes accompanied by her seven-year-old daughter Aurora, who proudly acts as her "number one cheerleader."
"She tells everyone how proud she is," Poppie shares. "She says I'm 'the happiest mummy in the world.' Hearing that means everything."
Dietary Evolution
The transformation involved significant dietary changes:
Before:
- Breakfast: None
- Lunch: Leftover frozen chicken goujons and chips from children's meals with full-fat cola
- Dinner: Often finishing children's leftovers followed by Chinese or Indian takeaways
- Snacks: Crisps, chocolate, and whatever her children didn't finish
After:
- Breakfast: Overnight oats prepared the night before
- Lunch: Tuna pasta salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, sweetcorn and low-fat mayonnaise
- Dinner: Chicken fajitas bowl with peppers, onions and spices, or Slimming World meals like Chicken Tikka Masala and rice
- Snacks: Fruit and yogurt with honey, Slimming World peanut Hi-fi bars, and snack-size chocolate bars
Reflecting on her journey, Poppie offers encouragement to others: "To anyone feeling like I did, I'd say 'take that first step.' Joining Slimming World gave me confidence, friendships and belief in myself, and along the way I found my happiness again. I became the mum my children deserve."
