Nottingham Trent student and mum shed nine stone between them after motivating each other to lose weight

SWNS
Elliot has now lost six and a half stone, returned to playing competitive football while studying at Nottingham Trent.

A Nottingham Trent University student and his mother have shed an impressive nine stone between them after motivating each other to lose weight.

Elliot Howells, 20, and his mum Emma Howells, 44, had both been struggling with their weight for years before joining Slimming World.

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Elliot was a triple XL and Emma was size 22 and their weight was having a negative impact on their every day lives.

He was plagued with knee issues growing up, and after being told he would no longer be able to play football, he was devastated and turned to food for comfort.

Emma Howells / SWNS

The pair used to snack terribly on chocolate and biscuits, binge on takeaways and there was no structure to their diet.

But after Emma joined weight loss organisation in 2010 she lost three stone by following a flexible lifestyle and dietary programme.

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She became a consultant and got down to a a size 14 before family bereavement meant she reverted back to her old eating habits.

Emma, from Ipswich, Suffolk, said: “I lost three stone and became a Slimming World consultant. I did it for seven and a half years and loved my group.

“But then I suddenly lost my 24-year-old sister and had a run of illness and bereavement in our family.

“Within four years I lost five family members.

“When I lost my mum, I was exercising like mad as a way of coping with grief but I didn't have a very healthy relationship with food.

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"I ended up having an operation, and I gained some weight again, so I went back to the group as a member."

Now, after her second stint, Emma has lost just over two stone and has decided to relaunch her own group to inspire others.

And in doing so, she has helped her son Elliot with his own transformation.

Emma, a mum-of-three, said: “When I was a consultant previously, Elliot lacked motivation to change. He just needed to decide for himself.

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“But when he found out he needed to lose two stone to have a double leg realignment, he then rejoined the Slimming World with me.

“The ladies absolutely adored him. He got so much attention.

"They were like his additional mums.”

Emma Howells / SWNS

Elliot has now lost six and a half stone, returned to playing competitive football and is studying at Nottingham Trent University.

As a family, they're always planning healthy meals like low-fat chilli and spaghetti bolognaise and packing their Sunday roast full of hearty vegetables.

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When they do snack it's only on healthy things like fruit and cereal bars and they've swapped the indulgent sugary deserts for low-fat yoghurt.

Elliot is now at his target weight and a size medium-large, But Emma wants to get to a size 12 to complete her weight loss journey.

Emma added: “My son is living his best life at the moment. He's got so much more confidence.

“I also love that we can now all eat the same healthy food as a family. I used to make my own food and something else for the rest of them.

“Slimming World doesn't feel like a diet, it feels like a lifestyle.”

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