Clare helps you slim (From Penarth Times)

Clare helps you slim

A PENARTH mother of two was spurred into losing weight after someone asked her if she was pregnant - despite the fact that she had given birth to her son Robert a couple of months previously.

Clare, 33, of The Paddocks area, joined Weight Watchers, in a bid to tackle her weight gain, and successfully managed to shed just under three stone.

She has recently completed her training as a Weight Watchers leader, and plans to open a new class in Lower Penarth in September.

She decided to become a leader, so that she could help others achieve their weight goals.

She said: "Losing weight gave me more confidence, and I wanted others to feel the same".

Clare joined up in April 1997, eight months after giving birth to her son, who is now six.

She said: "I realised that I needed help, support and motivation." She reached her target weight within four months, just in time for her son's first birthday.

She said: "I felt wonderful, it was a lovely feeling", and she added that all her relatives were shocked at her transformation. She managed to retain her trim-line figure, until she became pregnant again with her daughter Anna, now three.

She then returned to the club, where she lost her post pregnancy weight gain in a record three months.

The Weight Watchers plan works on a point system, and your allocation of points depends on the individual's starting weight, and how much they have to lose. Clare has been at her target weight now for over three years, and has dropped from a size 18 to a size 12.

She admitted that her weakness is a sweet tooth, but she overcomes this by munching on low fat chocolate bars. She said: "You can tackle it if you face up to your problem areas".

She added: "If you deprive yourself, you end up going off the rails."

The Weight Watchers class will be held at Lower Penarth Community Centre, Brockhill Way on Thursday, September 12, at 6pm. Charge: £4.50 per class, or £3.60 for the over 60's. For more information about this class, contact Clare Jones on 029 20709809 or call 08457 123000 for other meetings in the area.