Derbyshire mum turned her life around and lost 5st - reversing devastating health diagnosis

Nikki Ricks, 45, was given three months to turn her lifestyle around or she would have to start insulin medication to treat the symptoms of type 2 diabetes that she was experiencing because of her weight.

Thankfully, the nurse’s warning didn’t go unheeded though and Nikki joined her local Slimming World group that week.

She lost 5½lbs in her first week and has since gone from 19st 7½lbs to 14st 9lbs and dropped four dress sizes, going from a size 22/24 to now wearing a size 16.

Now Nikki, who lives with her 24-year-old son Kieran in Westhouses, wants to help others to make changes to their health too and is opening her own Slimming World group in Crich this new year.

She says: “After being warned in September 2020 that my blood sugars were high, I was told I needed to have a blood test for type 2 diabetes again in December 2020. I’d convinced myself that if I just didn’t have any sugar in the days running up to Christmas, I’d be ok. How wrong was I?

"I was devastated when the nurse told me I was showing symptoms of type 2 diabetes and that if I didn’t do anything I’d need to go on insulin as early as February. It was the wake-up call I needed though.

“Thanks to Slimming World, by the time of my next check in February 2021 I’d lost 10% of my body weight and the test showed I’d reversed all of the symptoms! Everyone in the GP surgery was astonished and when my nurse heard the news, as she’d been off that day, she rang me to say congratulations as they couldn’t believe such a change in numbers in such a short space of time.

“Now my energy levels are soaring, and my confidence is the highest it’s been since I was a teenager, I can’t wait to share this feeling with other people.”

Nikki, who has worked at Slimming World head office for 20 years, says she’s always dreamed of training to become a Consultant, and feels the time is right now.

Her weight has yo-yoed over the years since she lost her beloved mum Audrey while she was pregnant with Kieran in 1998. She gained more weight during the pandemic and reached the point where she found moving difficult, had swollen feet and regularly suffered with acid reflux.

Nikki, who is an Avon rep and Reiki healer too, initially joined her Slimming World group virtually with Marie Ellis, then when things opened up again, she went along to the Alfreton group run by Ben Cocker. Kieran joined with her at that point and has lost 2st 13½lbs since September 2021, totalling over 5st since he began enjoying the same healthy meals at home.

Nikki says: “My role at Slimming World head office means that I know how to eat healthily and the importance of being active, but I needed to be in the right place emotionally to be open to making changes. Losing weight isn’t easy – if it were there wouldn’t be a weight problem in the UK. That’s why the support of my Slimming World group has been so important.

“Being surrounded by people on the same journey, who really ‘get it’ means you feel comfortable sharing personal details and struggles with food and drink that you might not discuss with anyone else. Kieran and I fitted into the Alfreton group straight away, and it’s very rare we miss a week as we all have such a laugh and get such valuable food ideas and inspiration. I really feel like the other members in my group genuinely care about me and my success and it’s that sense of belonging and community that I really want to create in my group.”

The biggest change to Nikki’s diet was swapping convenience foods, sandwiches and crisps for home cooked recipes like spag bol, chicken and pasta dishes, roasts, chicken curry and rice with veg and Full English breakfasts.

She also started planning her meals and, while alcohol can be enjoyed on Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan, Nikki decided to stop drinking. She says: “Going to my group each week helped me to understand myself more deeply as a slimmer and I realised that there are certain foods or drink that are triggers for me, and when I drink, I often go on to eat or drink more than I intended.”

She continues: “Life is completely different now. We go on more holidays abroad and I don’t have to worry if the seatbelt on the plane will fit around me. My stomach doesn’t touch the steering wheel

like it used to either. I’m so proud of what Kieran and I have achieved, and I think my mum would be proud too, especially at my decision to help others each week to achieve their own personal dreams by becoming a Consultant.”

Nikki’s Slimming World groups will be held every Thursday at 9.30am and 11am at Crich Glebe Field Community Centre from Thursday January 5. Contact Nikki on 07925 297733 to find out more or pop along on the day.