‘Four stone weightloss helped me achieve my pole dancing dreams’

When Ashleigh Griffiths decided to make a big change she had one specific achievement in mind: she wanted to be able to flip herself upside down on a pole. And 18 months after she started her weight loss journey, and four stone down later, she achieved just that. It was August, 2021, when the now 35-year-old had family visit her in Cardiff[1]. "My step dad was very snap happy with his camera and when he sent the photos through, I took one look at myself and thought, 'I don't like the way I look'."

She knew she had to do something about it, so she joined Slimming World. Before she started the diet, she would either skip breakfast or eat toast, have a meal deal with chocolate and crisps for lunch and finish the day off "eating beige" with chicken nuggets and chips. We've teamed up with Slimming World to offer you the chance to join your local group for FREE, saving you GBP5.[2] Ashleigh Griffiths, 35, from Cardiff, lost four stone in weight and achieved her pole dancing goals (Image: Ashleigh Griffiths)

Now, Ashleigh makes most of her meals from scratch.

She often starts her day with yoghurt and fruit and follows that up with a stir fry for lunch. She still enjoys stuff like chicken nuggets and chips, but makes them as a "fakeaway", cooking everything from scratch herself. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here[5] "I had the lovely job of being sat very close to the biscuit tin, it was always snacks of biscuits and chocolates.

Now it is more snacking on fruit and vegetables, as well as the Slimming World Hi Fi bars." In April this year, she reached her four stone weight loss goal, and has gone from a size 16 to a size 10/12. But the biggest difference she has noticed is in her fitness, especially while attending her pole dancing classes.

"Before, like I used to struggle with the stamina of the class because it's a lot of body strain and it can be cardio based as well if you do a lot of moves continuously.

For me, one of my goals was to be able to flip myself upside down and I can do that now. I can do pretty shapes on the pole. My stamina and classes are far better than it was when I first started.

"I absolutely love it and as well as body confidence wise because skin is a contact point on the pole, before I would kind of keep myself a bit covered up because I was quite conscious about what I looked like, whereas now, I love my body, I am so much more confident." Support award-winning journalism with WalesOnline's Premium app on Apple or Android[6][7] Ashleigh said she loved Slimming World as it allowed her to enjoy special periods of her life, like Christmas[8] and birthdays, without punishment for going off track. She enjoys the programme so much she has now decided to become a consultant, and will hold her first class on January 6.

For more information about classes near you, visit the Slimming World website.

"Being part of someone's journey, whether it's to fit in the wedding dress or to get their health better, or whether it's, you know, like a friend of mine, she had to lose weight to be able to do IVF, to be part of that journey and see people become successful is absolutely amazing."

References

1. ^ Cardiff (www.walesonline.co.uk)
2. ^ We've teamed up with Slimming World to offer you the chance to join your local group for FREE, saving you GBP5. (www.walesonline.co.uk)
3. ^ I tried Michael Mosley's Fast 800 diet for a week and couldn't believe the results (www.walesonline.co.uk)
4. ^ 'I tried expert advice to eat 30 plants a week and this is how it went' (www.walesonline.co.uk)
5. ^ For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here (www.walesonline.co.uk)
6. ^ Apple (go.skimresources.com)
7. ^ Android (play.google.com)
8. ^ Christmas (www.walesonline.co.uk)