A COUPLE from Magor, who met at Slimming World, have lost 17.5 stone combined in hopes it will help them avoid dying young, and developing diabetes.

Pauline and Ben Howell, first met aged 10 and 13 at Slimming World while waiting for their parents to weigh in. 

They were friends for years before getting married in 2010.

“I am proud of him, I am proud of me, I am proud of us," said Pauline.

Before losing nine stone, Pauline avoided meeting new people as she thought they would judge her for her weight.

She hated having her photograph taken and worried that she may embarrass her family and friends due to her size.

Pauline also noticed how her weight was affecting her physically, she had always been an active person, but she was getting out of breath and feeling uncomfortable.

She had got to the point where even a walk would mean "days of pain while she struggled to recover."

She was also concerned that some of her close family had diabetes and had seen the toll this could take on peoples’ lives. She didn’t want this to happen to her.

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Initially, Ben, who has lost eight and a half stone, was acutely aware that his weight had also got out of control and knew that something had to change. 

His self-esteem had hit rock bottom, and he had distanced himself from family and friends, convincing himself that they only saw him as their fat friend who they invited to things as "they felt they had to, not because they wanted to."

He, too, found exercise caused him discomfort and pain. 

Ben’s mother had died at an early age and he was worried that he was following the same path. 

When they joined the Slimming World group in Magor in 2023, they sat nervously at the back.

They have found the eating plan easy to follow, and now look at food differently. In terms of how they shop, how they prepare food and how they cook it. 

Debra Morse has been the Magor Slimming World consultant for seven years. She said: “They are an inspiration to all in the group and what they have both achieved is simply incredible."