Emma Artemiou, 51, from Portsmouth, Hants, can now get on the floor to play with her two-year-old granddaughter, Margo, after losing five stone without using weight-loss jabs. She weighed 13st 6lbs (85 kg) in September 2021, which classed her as obese due to her 5ft stature.
Emma previously found it difficult to walk and impossible to get up and down off the floor with Margo because of the extra weight she was carrying. Alongside weight gain, she experienced low energy, hot flushes and mood changes during the menopause, while also dealing with grief following the death of her father.
Path to a healthier weight
Emma now weighs a healthy 8st 6lbs (53 kg). She lost the weight without using jabs, instead seeking help from her local Slimming World weight loss support group. She lost 9lbs (4kg) in her first month with the group alone.
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 new habits
Previously working as a school cook, Emma found losing weight difficult as she was "constantly surrounded by food", all while raising her daughter. On an average day, she would skip breakfast and eat shop-bought sandwiches, crisps and chocolate at lunch, before tucking into a frozen pizza with chips or a takeaway curry at dinner, followed by two glasses of wine and a share-size bar of chocolate.
Emma, who works as a pet sitter, now has a more balanced diet and batch cooks her meals on the weekends. She now eats overnight oats for breakfast, a jacket potato for lunch, and roast chicken for dinner, with sugar-free or low-fat desserts instead of chocolate.
Emma said: "I wasn't looking after myself, I'd grab whatever was convenient. Takeaway pizza, ice cream, chocolate and red wine. Even though I cooked healthy meals for other people, I wasn't taking care of me."
Impact on health and family life
Emma said her weight caused pain in her knees, with even short walks leaving her struggling and everyday tasks becoming more difficult. Her husband Jamie joined the Slimming World group in June 2024 to focus on his health.
Emma 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."
