A MUM in Barry was motivated by her daughter’s wedding to lose six stone after years of struggling with her weight.

Rayden Jones had been struggling with her weight for a long time and reached 19st after giving up smoking.

She struggled with pain in her legs, struggled to walk and experienced a lack of energy.

After being asked by her daughter to give her away at her upcoming wedding in July – It was motivation she needed to make a change.

She said: “I felt unhappy with my size, I gave up smoking a few years back and the weight just piled on and I hated what I saw in the mirror.

“My daughter is getting married this year and asked me to give her away, so I wanted to lose weight not just for her but to feel good when walking her down the aisle.”

Rayden joined her local Slimming World group in Gibbonsdown in January 2023 and began her weight loss journey while being surrounded by support from her consultant Laura Tressider.

Before joining the group, she relied on chocolate along with a meal from the local chippy for comfort. She has now ditched the food she once took comfort in for vegetables, stews and pasta.

She added: “Chocolate was a huge comfort food for me along with the occasional chippy as I had a bad sweet tooth.

“Now I have cut out fatty foods and bread completely, instead I eat a lot of veg, stews and pasta. I would take pasta in sauce to work with me every day along with fruit.”

The mum of one has lost an amazing six stone in a year, with her current weight at 13st 8 but she doesn’t plan to stop there as she is two stone off her target of 11st.

Her weight loss has had a positive reaction from those around her as her boss didn’t recognise her at her work’s Christmas Party and she told the Barry and District News that she has more energy than ever.

She added: “I have more energy; I can walk better, and my legs don’t hurt anymore, and I can do exercise that I was unable to do before like running after my grandchildren which makes them happy.

“Group is amazing, and it gives me confidence and makes me proud of myself for what I have achieved."