A couple who lost over 15 stone between them are looking forward to dressing in more fitted clothes for their son's upcoming wedding.
Paddy and Sonia McCabe, both 49, decided to do something about their weight after they were forced to use a mobility scooter on holiday in Tenerife in 2019 when the couple tipped the scales at almost 41 stone.
After the holiday, the determined pair joined their local Slimming World group in Drogheda, Co Louth in a move that Paddy says changed his life.
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And changing their food shopping habits and how they cooked at home even led to their son Dylan (23) losing five stone in weight too.
"My knees were very bad but due to my weight, the surgeons weren't going to operate on them and so, I had to get a mobility scooter to get around on holidays," said the well-known local barber.
"My wife got a scooter because I had one but we both agreed we would lose weight when we got home and we would do it together.
"I didn't find it hard to lose weight as if you stick to the Slimming World plan, you can eat everything you want but just the right stuff in the right way.
"I lost ten stone in the first year and then another one and a half since then. It sounds a lot but if you lose two pound a week which is sustainable, then that's seven stone gone in a year.
"I could still have my Chinese takeaway in counting my syns and I switched different varieties of crisps so I could still have them.
"I have kept one pair of old trousers to remind myself that I never want to go back there to that weight again. It's a lifestyle change and you have to live too so we realise that we might put up weight if we have certain events, but once we go back to plan, we can lose that weight again.
"We were on holidays recently in Corfu and ate what we wanted so we have put a little weight on but now we are on plan again
"Since I lost the weight, I have had two full knee replacements and I nearly cried the day the doctor said he would operate because I was in that much pain.
"I used to have sleep apnoea and now I don't need the oxygen machine at night and I know I was a candidate for a heart attack. Slimming World saved my life."
"Even though we have hit our target, we still go to the weekly meetings in Drogheda with our consultant Paula Carry because we get so much support and tips and have made great friends."
Losing four stone also helped wife Sonia's back pain and she is looking forward to dressing as the mother-of-the-groom in August
"We can still eat everything we want but in a healthier way. We are cooking from scratch instead of opening tins and jars.
"Our son Dylan still lives with us but because we are cooking healthier and have stopped buying high-sugar foods to stock the presses, he has lost five stone in weight just by living here and learning to eat better even for his lunches."
"Before 2019, Paddy had to buy all his clothes by catalogue or online. He could only buy shoes or a tie in the local shops," laughed Sonia.
"I couldn't really walk into many shops to buy clothes myself as I was a size 20 but now, I've dropped three dress sizes, so I can just buy off the rail and it feels great.
"Paddy has dropped from a size 46 waist to a 34/36 waist so he is loving buying clothes now that his wardrobe is actually more extensive than mine!"
"Our son Ryan is getting married in August and we can wear more fitted and fashionable clothes. If we were at the same weight as in 2019, our choice of clothes would be limited but now we will look a million dollars."
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