A 38-year-old from Dorset has reached the semi-finals of a competition to find the UK and Ireland’s most inspirational slimmers, where she met Olympic shooter Amber Rutter.
Pippa Rolls was one of just 38 women to win a place at the semi-finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2024 competition after losing an incredible 5st 3lbs. It was there that she was congratulated by Amber, who brought home a silver medal at this year’s Olympics in Paris.
Pippa, who slimmed from 15st 12.5lbs to 10st 9.5lbs, made it to the semi-finals after members of her Wyke Regis group voted for her to go forward to the national Woman of the Year 2024 semi-finals at Slimming World’s head office in Derbyshire.
She says: “Before I joined Slimming World my confidence was really low, I knew I needed to do something about my weight because it impacted every aspect of my life, from the clothes I’d wear to the places I’d go – I thought about it non-stop. I wanted to feel more comfortable and confident in my own skin, but I had no idea where to start.”
“I decided to give Slimming World a go after a visit to my GP to talk about how unhappy I was with my weight gain. I didn’t know at the time that it was the best decision I would ever make. Right from the first group, I knew I was in the right place to get the support I needed to make changes that would work for me and help me reach the size I wanted to be.”
Pippa began following Slimming World’s healthy eating plan and loved that she could still enjoy her favourite foods and meals, by making changes to the way she prepared and cooked them. She says: “I discovered a new way of eating that easily fit around my life and I felt in control when it came to food for the first time in forever. I love cooking things like homemade ratatouille full of vegetables and everyone being surprised when I tell them it’s a Slimming World recipe!”
“It wasn’t long before people started to notice changes in me and that gave me a huge boost to keep going! My Slimming World group and Consultant Karen have been so supportive. Everyone was so friendly from the first group and now they’ve become great friends; they’re always ready with ideas and advice, and their support helped me to believe in myself and my ability to make changes and keep them up for good.”
As Pippa lost weight, she was inspired by Slimming World’s physical activity support programme to start exercising, finding an activity she enjoyed and taking it at her own pace: “I started going for small walks as I couldn’t do much due to chronic pain and fatigue and I now enjoy Pilates in groups and at home which helps me with my pain, keeps me active, and stay toned. Slimming World has completely changed my life.”
Amber, an English sport shooter who specialises in skeet, is a three-time gold medalist and was most recently awarded a silver medal at this year’s summer Olympics in Paris. Amber was in awe of Pippa’s transformation. She said: “I think Pippa has done amazingly well to change her life and her health around like she has. She seems so full of confidence now and she looks incredible too. It’s a reminder that you can do anything you want if you have the right people supporting you and you set your mind to it.”
Karen Miller, who runs the Wyke Regis group that Pippa attends, said: “Pippa is such an inspiration and it’s been wonderful to see her transformation, not only on the outside but on the inside too. She’s grown in confidence and self-belief and I feel very lucky to have played a part in that. Pippa gives so much support to the other group members and if there’s anyone feeling like she did before joining the group, she is such a great example of what can be achieved. I would love to welcome anyone who’d like to lose weight to our Wyke Regis group at Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7pm or Easton Methodist Church Hall every Monday at 5.30pm or 7pm or call me on 07484 647558.
Unfortunately, Pippa was not the overall winner of the competition. Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2024 will be announced in November.
