10-stone weight loss journey

Jill Martin, from Stanground has credited the support she received from New Queen Street and Stanground Surgeries, as being crucial to her health and wellbeing, shedding a phenomenal ten stones in weight in just over a year.

Jill started at Slimming World in January 2025 and was also referred to Barbara Olim, the health and wellbeing coach at New Queen Street and Stanground Surgeries, around the same time. Barbara has regular meetings to support patients giving them practical advice to help them meet their lifestyle goals, finding out what their ambitions and obstacles are and giving personalised consultation and support to help people’s physical and mental health.

Jill, who is six feet tall, has dropped ten dress sizes, has reversed her diabetes and no longer has to use medication for some of her health conditions. Alongside the diet and wellbeing sessions, she has started a regular exercise regime, has transformed her social life and has even started coaching others at Slimming World with some of the tips and tools that have given her the impetus to keep going.

Jill said: ‘The doctor mentioned the wellbeing service and I thought it sounds like something I need. I really wanted it to work wholeheartedly. You feel like someone is in your corner and has got your back. That is very reassuring to know. Barbara is like superwoman. She did an amazing thing and taught me how to change all the negative words I used to positive ones. It worked, she gave me the tools to succeed.’

She initially had one-hour sessions with Barbara each month and had a lot of success with her weight loss, winning the Slimmer of the Year title at her group, which is run by Scott at Hampton. However, Christmas is traditionally a difficult time for Jill, and, after struggling to maintain her equilibrium, she contacted Barbara and booked up for more sessions.  

Jill said: ‘Issues are like obstacles. You can climb over a wall but you can climb back again and that is what a lot of people do. You need to make a door in the wall, walk through, find out what is wrong, get that support, turn around and close the door and lock it and move on to the next door. That is what wellbeing is for me. If I get to that door and cannot unlock it, I talk to Barbara who advises me. Then you open that door, deal with that and walk on to the next one.’

The results of her weight loss success are evident. Jill is now happy to look in the mirror, have her photograph taken, is wearing colourful clothes rather than routine black and has treated herself to new clothes and a new hair colour.  

Barbara, who is thrilled and delighted by the effort that Jill has put in, said: ‘We did a lot of work on her wellbeing, on that internal transformation as she was struggling to find herself. She wasn’t sure what she wanted out of life, she was struggling to say no and had very poor self-esteem.

‘After about three or four sessions Jill felt a lot more confident. She continued to attend Slimming  World and do extremely well and lost a phenomenal amount of weight. After our sessions finished and since she has come back recently she has done so much work on herself, not just on her body but on her mindset. She has really learned to appreciate herself more. She can now look in the mirror confidently and can really celebrate all her successes. She has just done so incredibly well. Jill has done all the hard work. I am totally proud of her. She is amazing!’

Listen to Jill's journey on our Lakeside Listens podcast

Published: May 14, 2026