Emma Artemiou, 51, from Portsmouth, Hants, has lost five stone without using weight-loss jabs, allowing her to get down on the floor and play with her two-year-old granddaughter, Margo. In September 2021, she weighed 13st 6lbs (85kg), which placed her in the obese category given her 5ft frame. She now weighs a healthy 8st 6lbs (53kg).
Menopause and weight gain
Emma said weight gain during the menopause left her struggling to walk and unable to get up and down off the floor with Margo. She also suffered from low energy, hot flushes, and mood changes, while coping with grief following the loss of her father. She turned to her local Slimming World weight loss support group for help.
Emma said: "The difference has been incredible. The pressure on my joints has reduced significantly, I have more energy, more confidence and a much more positive outlook on life."
Diet changes and support
Having previously worked as a school cook, Emma found losing weight challenging as she was 'constantly surrounded by food', while also bringing up her daughter. On a typical day, she would skip breakfast, eat shop-bought sandwiches, crisps and chocolate at lunchtime, and have a frozen pizza with chips or a takeaway curry for dinner, rounded off with two glasses of wine and a share-size bar of chocolate.
Emma, who works as a pet sitter, now maintains a more balanced diet and batch cooks her meals at weekends. She starts with overnight oats for breakfast, enjoys a jacket potato at lunchtime, and has roast chicken for her evening meal, opting for sugar-free or low-fat desserts. She shed 9lbs (4kg) in her first month with the Slimming World group. Her husband Jamie signed up in June 2024 to focus on his own health.
Health improvements and family moments
Emma explained that her weight caused considerable discomfort in her knees, with even brief walks leaving her struggling. She said: "I feel healthier, stronger and more in control of my wellbeing than I have in years. I now enjoy regular walks by the sea, cycling with Jamie and I'm thinking about taking up tennis again – I used to love playing when I was 40."
She added: "Most important of all, it's the time I spend with my gorgeous two-year-old granddaughter, Margo, that means the most. Being able to get up and down off the floor with Margo is a huge win. I can take her to the park, play on the equipment with her, go down the slide and run around soft play. If I was still carrying almost five extra stone, I wouldn't be able to do those things. Those moments are priceless."
