I’m Tracey! I am a Slimming World Consultant in Tallaght but most importantly I am a Slimming World member. I have lost five stone following the plan and words cannot convey just how much it has changed my life in every single way. I was a comfort eater, a secret eater and miserably unhappy for all of my teenage life.

Since becoming a parent something clicked for me. I want to be around for my son for as long as I can be. I don’t want him to grow up seeing food as the enemy and as a reason to hide his emotions. Slimming World has changed everything for me and I want to help others do the same.

When it comes to weight loss I am always delighted to share my top tips with my members. Anything that helps them move closer to a healthier lifestyle and their personal achievement target is a pleasure to share.

The truth is that we tend to complicate things. As Slimmers we struggle to completely embrace a new plan as we may fear that it means the end of eating the kind of food that we love. Change can lead to anxiety and anxiety can be a great stumbling block as we try to move closer to our goals.

Slimming World is designed in such a way that it is absolutely not the end of anything. It’s only the beginning. When the plan is followed properly there really is very little that you will have to part ways with. There are so many ways of including your favourite meals, drinks and style of food. In fact, that is exactly where I am going to start.

Here are my very top tips for weight loss success. A success that you totally deserve.

If someone told me I had to give up all of my favourite food and replace it with something completely different I would see it as a very very short term arrangement. It just wouldn’t be realistic for me. For this reason, I would struggle to show much enthusiasm at all and I’d be on a constant count-down to return to normality.

The key to Slimming success is to eat food that you really enjoy. If burgers and chips were your go-to meal before joining then let's make the Slimming World version using less than 5% fat mince. Let's use your healthy extra B for a bun and pile the burger high with lettuce, pickles, tomato, onion and smoked bacon. There is always room for cheese, mayo and our famous Slimming World Chips. Coleslaw can supercharge the meal as a speed food (it’s so easy to make and delicious) and you’ll wonder why you waited so long to food optimise because you’re eating the kind of food you love and getting a weight loss every week. No, you’re not dreaming. You are living the dream.

We’ve written a post on the reasons why staying for Group makes such a profound difference and it really really does. It can make or break a Slimming World journey and might just become your favourite time of the week. Group is where the magic happens.

This is important so that you always have a couple of options. It’s better to be looking at them than looking for them. I find Dealz, Mr Price and the likes of Lidl/Aldi brilliant for stocking up on low syn treats like crisps, popcorn, chocolate bars and jelly pots!

The more people that know that you are on this journey the better. People will understand why you want to avoid certain places or activities for a period of time. They will know that this means a huge amount to you. Tell your work colleagues, your family and your friends. There is no shame and you might just be surprised by the number of people who say “me too”. Having Slimming World friends makes it infinitely easier because you can share tips, tricks and recipes.

We all have off days, off weeks and periods of time where weight loss just isn’t the priority. These weeks do not define you. What defines you is what you do next. Get to Group, weigh in and draw a line. You will never experience judgement or humiliation and you have every reason to give the week ahead a good shot. Remember most gains do not come from the off-plan meal you had or the handful of treats. They come from every single thing you had as a result of the guilt. Take a deep breath, move on and just focus on the next meal.

Tracey is a happy mammy to four-year-old Billy. She is a breastfeeder, gentle parent and has recently lost five stone so healthy family eating is her passion! You can find her at www,loveofliving.ie.