A 51-YEAR-OLD who was told she had to lose at least seven stone in order to receive surgery for a serious spinal condition is celebrating after surpassing two thirds of the life-changing target.

Glenys Parry, from Valley, suffered from chronic back pain in the summer of 2019 when she decided to visit her doctor, however it suddenly worsened over the following days.

She was sent to Ysbyty Gwynedd for a number of tests and scans she was told she had spinal stenosis and three crushed vertebrae

Glenys had to stay in hospital for five days so that doctors could get her pain under control with a cocktail of strong pain medication, before being referred to a specialist at the Walton Centre in Liverpool the following month.

There she was told to lose at least seven stone from her 21 stone total weight before she was able to have the operation that would stabilise her spine.

“It was impossible, I could never lose that amount of weight, it was the worst day of my life,” she said. “I cried all the way home.

“I struggled at home trying to lose weight, eating nothing but lettuce. It was a horrible time. I was hungry and very unhappy.”

Having cut more than two stone during that unsustainable period, Glenys, who was a type two diabetic at the time, decided to join Slimming World in July in the hope of being able find a more positive way of losing the required weight.

“I remember standing outside the venue, absolutely petrified, afraid that the strangers inside would laugh at me because of how big I was,” she said. “How wrong could I have been?

“I will never forget the warm welcome I received. All the smiles, all the hello’s, reassurance and support. I left an hour later with so many new friends, lots of ideas, motivation, hope and my new member’s pack.”

It included recipes of fresh and filling food including

“I lost 6.5lb’s in my first week and was hooked,” she said. “I made sure I stayed to group every week, picking up tips and sharing my own receiving awards every half stone I lost.”

As the UK went into lockdown in March the groups could not continue as normal and instead took part over Zoom and Glenys continued on her path to success, reaching an amazing 5.5 stone weight loss milestone.

She has also reduced her thyroid medication to nearly half of what it was.

“It meant there was no need to leave the house when it is dark, raining or windy. In lockdown I've received my 5.5 stone weight loss award,” said Glenys.

“I’ve currently lost 34 per cent of my original body weight and that has had fantastic side effects of its own - I can move easier, my self-confidence has gone through the roof and I’m loving buying clothes ‘off the shelf’."

Anyone wanting to get support with their own weight loss like Glenys can contact Chrissie on 07445 947338 or visit slimmingworld.co.uk