Glasgow woman is unrecognisable after losing six stone

Jamie-Lee Brown, 22, recently went back to hospitality and chuckled at the idea that her co-workers don’t recognise her following the dramatic transformation.

She said: "In my work just now, I’ve been there six weeks, I worked there when I was 18 and they don’t know who I am, they don’t remember who I am.

"They’ll continue to speak to me, and I know who they are, they’ve not changed, they just don’t have a clue.

"And I’m like ‘how are you’ and they’re like ‘aye I’m great, how are you’ and then honestly, two days later it could be ‘oh my god, Jamie-Lee, I didn’t even know that was you’, so it’s so hard still getting used to that.

"I just want to get out and see everybody that I’ve met before and just be like ‘hi, it’s me’."

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Jamie-Lee, who is from Hamiltonhill, says the weight loss has dramatically changed her life and given her a new sense of confidence.

She has been attending Slimming World in Possilpark for around nine years after her mum Maureen became a consultant for the group, but at the start of 2020 a change of mindset helped her start to lose more weight.

She said: "For years I’ve always wanted to lose weight but there was just something missing, and I knew it was motivation possibly that I lacked, but it was also self-love.

"You don’t need to love yourself initially to lose weight, but you need to have some sort of liking for yourself emotionally, mentally and physically to then be able to want to better that.

"I always thought I was doing it for myself but I obviously couldn’t have been.

"I was like ‘right, this is it, I’m doing this for me’ and I just wanted to be able to look in the mirror and be happy with myself and not to have so much hate for myself and I can’t believe how much that’s about turned, I’m still trying to get used to it."

Jamie-Lee and mum Maureen

She added: "Also, working a lot of hours during the pandemic, it gave me less time to sit and snack, so straight away as I started losing that first wee bit, it just keeps you going.

"I then met my current partner and that also helped keep me self-motivated."

Jamie-Lee had previously struggled with weight loss but says the support of the group has helped her "immensely" and kept her motivated, even at times when she didn’t think she needed it.

She said: "My mum’s online group, the Facebook page, it is honestly so fantastic, even at times when you think you don’t need the help or the motivation.

"If I’m thinking about coming off the plan, for a week or a wee day, a cheeky wee hour even, it helps me go ‘do you know what, no, look at these people that are still sticking to the plan, she’s just made a lovely meal’ or ‘they’ve just made a lovely lunch’ and I think I might copy it, it’s nice to have so much support.

"All you need to remember, as much as we’re doing it for ourselves, we’re all going through the same thing and it’s good to bounce off one another and look forward to group each week to see each other."

So, what would Jamie-Lee say to anyone who is struggling to start their weight loss journey?

"Do it for yourself," she said.

"Change that mindset and do it for you and only you, not for social media, not for likes, not for what other people think, make sure you’re doing it for you.

"Don’t be too hard on yourself at the same time and if you have a bad day, draw a line under it and get back up the next day and just get straight back on it, don’t put yourself down.

"You’re allowed bad days, you’re only human, we’re all surrounded by temptation, it’s everywhere, it’s in advertising, it’s in front of us in shops, it’s on social media, it’s everywhere.

"It’s such a hard thing to do so don’t be hard on yourself, just be good to yourself be positive and just believe in yourself before anything else."

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Jamie-Lee in January 2020

According to Obesity Action Scotland, obesity is now a serious public health risk in Scotland, with 65percent of the adult population overweight or obese.

A recent study by Lincoln University into the relationship between weight loss and mental toughness revealed that people who are supported to lose weight in a group environment lose more than those without support, and it can also increase their mental toughness.

You see more about Jamie-Lee’s journey, you can view her TikTok HERE.