Claire Wills, who is studying adult nursing at the University of Wolverhampton, said losing weight with Slimming World has given her the confidence to pursue her long-held career aspirations of becoming a nurse.
“In promoting my own health, I became very invested in promoting other people’s health”
Claire Wills
Shredding over eight stone has allowed Ms Wills to follow her mother’s footsteps and kickstart her nursing career.
Three years ago, the mother of one was a size 26, and weighed 21st 11.5lbs. Before losing the weight, Ms Wills said she could not imagine herself talking to patients about healthy living and lacked the courage to apply to complete the training required.
It was during 2014 that Ms Wills decided her lifestyle had to change. She was playing at the beach with her son, Albert, during a family holiday when she found herself out of breath.
She said this was the final straw and chose to join the gym. However, after seven months of exercise, she found whilst her fitness had improved, her weight had not.
190114 claire wills before
Claire Will before losing more than eight stone
She then joined Jo Wassell’s Stourbridge Slimming World group and lost 8st 12lbs, meaning she finally felt able to follow her dreams and start a career in nursing.
Ms Wills, who now weighs 12st 13.5lbs, said: “I found Slimming World and lost an incredible amount of weight.
“In promoting my own health, I became very invested in promoting other people’s health and becoming an advocate for people who couldn’t speak up for themselves and didn’t know what path to take,” she added.
If it wasn’t for this, she said she would not have been studying at the university and added that her lifestyle change is the “best thing that has ever happened”.
“I’d always wanted to be a nurse, ever since I was young,” she said.
“Coming back as a mature student and having that life experience and going through everything I’ve been through I’m better prepared for the rigours of a degree course, especially over the last few years with everything I have learnt about myself,” Ms Wills explained.
“Getting an adult nursing degree is the start of a journey of lifelong learning. You never stop learning – that is all you do,” she said.
“You grow, reflect and change every single day. It excites me that I don’t know exactly where I will end up with enough hard work,” she added.
https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/education/weight-loss-gives-mum-of-one-confidence-to-become-a-nurse/7027394.article