A SLIMMING consultant whose only activity before losing six stone was going from the sofa to the kitchen is now set to achieve her dream of running the London Marathon.
Jodie Rigby-Mee joined the Leamington Spa Slimming World group in 2003 after hearing a group of boys make cruel comments about her weight on holiday.
Having been overweight since her early teens and so inactive she would get taxis everywhere, the Leamington resident decided to make a change and has never looked back.
Having kept the weight off ever since, the 34 year-old will now join the 11-strong Slimming World national team, made up of representatives from across the UK and Ireland, at the London Marathon on April 28.
And this year’s team will be the official golden Slimming World marathon team as the organisation celebrates its 50th birthday year.
Collectively, the team have lost more than 86st and will be running to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Irish Cancer Society. They aim to increase awareness of how keeping a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer.
Supporting the charities is particularly important to Jodie having seen numerous family members face the disease and undergo treatment.
Jodie said: “I can’t believe I’m running the London Marathon after where I was before losing weight – I would avoid anything that involved activity.
“My health has dramatically improved, I have so much more energy and I know I’m setting a good example to my children. I’ve really found a love for running and to be running the big one this year – especially in Slimming World’s golden birthday year – is a real dream come true.”
Jodie has now completed numerous charity runs and three half marathons, and is looking forward to her first full marathon when she takes to the streets of the capital.
“I can’t wait for the atmosphere on race day and to cross that finish line – both my parents have completed the marathon and they are going to be so proud of me come the big day too.
“Achieving this dream would never have been possible before losing weight. I‘m excited to give something back and raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Irish Cancer Society.”
Jodie fell in love with the philosophy of Slimming World and became a consultant in 2014, running her own groups in Leamington and Bishops Itchington. She has since won the national Slimming World Top Target Consultant in 2017, which celebrates the most successful consultants across the UK and Ireland.
Visit justgiving.com/slimmingworld2019londonmarathon to sponsor Jodie and the Slimming World marathon team.
