'I knew I had to lose weight when I needed a bigger horse for riding - it was a wake-up call'
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Slimming World star Jess Westbury embarked on a mission to lose weight after realising her enjoyment of life, including her passion for horse riding, was diminishing, along with 'constant pain'. At 17st, the 30-year-old struggled to walk 3K steps a day and needed a larger horse for riding.
"I was lucky if I did 3k steps a day, mainly because my body couldn’t take it. I couldn’t enjoy horse riding – something I’d always loved – because I could only ride on a specific kind of horse that would be able to carry my weight, which weren’t as easy to find," Jess says.
Having battled with her weight since she was a teenager, Jess shares, "I’ve always felt like the ‘bigger’ friend. I started putting on weight when I was around 16, and it affected my confidence. I really loved swimming at school but I was so self-conscious that I would get a sick note to get out of lessons.
"Looking back now, my weight was having a bigger impact on my day-to-day life than I initially thought. My knees and back were in constant pain, and I could barely make it up the hill to the top of my road without getting out of breath. Ella was still so small and I didn’t want her to grow up without me being able to do everything with her – she was the motivation I needed to make a change.".
After welcoming her daughter, Ella, now two, Jess took the leap and joined her local Slimming World group in January 2023. "There were so many emotions going through my mind that first night. I was nervous and scared, and felt embarrassed at the thought of being judged. I tried to block those thoughts out and as soon as I walked in I felt loads better. Everyone was so lovely and kind – and I never once felt judged. Looking back now, it was the best decision I could have made," the Chesterfield mum says.
