A mother from Worcestershire was escorted off an Alton Towers boat ride, which spurred her to join Slimming World and lose more than 12 stone while improving her fitness and confidence
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Mother-of-four’s theme-park moment sparks 12st weight loss
When Michelle Stokes got off a children’s boat ride at CBeebies Land in tears, she didn’t expect it to change her life. The ride had begun to feel unsafe under her weight; staff helped her disembark and the embarrassment on the way home stayed with her.
That moment — small, public and painful — became the catalyst for a complete rethink.
A week later she joined Slimming World, with her husband Dan and their children as her cheerleaders. As an occupational therapist and mum of four from Stourport-on-Severn, Michelle admits she’d long put everyone else first.
Her routine had slipped into skipped meals and binge episodes. The plan she chose focused on realistic eating swaps, rebuilding daily movement and creating new rhythms rather than quick fixes.
The numbers are dramatic. Michelle went from a size 30 and a recorded weight of 23st 11.4lbs to 11st 7lbs — a loss of 12st 4.5lbs.
She credits the family’s encouragement, structured support from the programme and steady habit changes. Equally important were the shifts in how she felt: better stamina, clearer moods and more confidence.
What finally pushed her to act
That boat ride wasn’t the only wake-up call. Michelle fainted in a shopping centre and a GP warned of raised cardiovascular risk and pre-diabetes. Then a child’s drawing that showed her as a large round figure hit her harder than any medical note. The combination of public embarrassment, a worrying health check and that simple drawing convinced her it was time to change.
How the programme rewired daily life
Michelle joined a programme built around weekly goals, food planning and regular weigh-ins. The group setting offered practical tips for meal prep, portion control and coping strategies for stressful or public situations. Rather than reinventing her life overnight, she adopted small, repeatable actions: predictable mealtimes, short daily activity bursts, and swapping calorie-dense snacks for fruit, eggs or homemade alternatives.
Those small steps stuck. Weekly meetings created accountability; measurable targets made progress visible. Over time, the behaviours became routine instead of temporary fixes, and clinicians recorded improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar.
Simple, workable meals
Meal planning became a cornerstone. Breakfasts often looked like overnight oats with berries; lunches might be a jacket potato with beans and reduced-fat cheese; dinners were family-friendly soups or spaghetti bolognese where courgette sometimes replaced some of the pasta. She cut down takeaways, started prepping the night before to avoid morning decision fatigue, and brought packed lunches to work instead of relying on the canteen.
The result: steadier eating patterns, better portion control and predictable benefits for both weight and health markers.
Reintroducing movement — and family time
Exercise came back gradually. Michelle now swims up to four times a week, takes long walks with the family dog Bonnie and even completed a Race For Life 5k with Dan, who himself lost nearly 4st on the same programme. She halved her BMI, dropped nine dress sizes and found her confidence rising alongside her fitness.
Mental health and parenting
The changes went beyond the scale. Michelle stopped avoiding photos, rejoined social activities, and felt she could model healthier habits for her children. Being more present and physically able for her family became her strongest motivation. Those improvements in mood and self-esteem also helped her stick to the new routine.
What other organisations can learn
A week later she joined Slimming World, with her husband Dan and their children as her cheerleaders. As an occupational therapist and mum of four from Stourport-on-Severn, Michelle admits she’d long put everyone else first. Her routine had slipped into skipped meals and binge episodes. The plan she chose focused on realistic eating swaps, rebuilding daily movement and creating new rhythms rather than quick fixes.0
A week later she joined Slimming World, with her husband Dan and their children as her cheerleaders. As an occupational therapist and mum of four from Stourport-on-Severn, Michelle admits she’d long put everyone else first. Her routine had slipped into skipped meals and binge episodes. The plan she chose focused on realistic eating swaps, rebuilding daily movement and creating new rhythms rather than quick fixes.1
Recognition and routine
A week later she joined Slimming World, with her husband Dan and their children as her cheerleaders. As an occupational therapist and mum of four from Stourport-on-Severn, Michelle admits she’d long put everyone else first. Her routine had slipped into skipped meals and binge episodes. The plan she chose focused on realistic eating swaps, rebuilding daily movement and creating new rhythms rather than quick fixes.2
