York slimmer reaches final of national competition (From York Press)
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Leeann Branton reaches finals of Slimming World Woman Of The Year competition
9:28am Saturday 13th October 2012 in News
By Jennifer Bell, jennifer.bell@thepress.co.uk
Leeann at the semi finals of the Woman Of The Year competition with Emmerdale actor Matthew Wolfenden
A SUPER slimmer from York could be crowned the national champion after shedding five-and-a-half stone.
Leeann Branton earned a place as one of 47 women from across the UK and Ireland to reach the semi-finals of a Woman Of The Year competition, and was one of ten to go forward to the finals, putting her in the running to win a holiday to St Lucia.
Leeann, 32, has slimmed from 18st 4.5lb to 12st 11.5lb since she joined a weight-loss group in New Earswick in October 2010.
She said: “I’d tried so many times and so many ways to lose weight before, usually depriving myself of the foods I enjoy, counting calories and going hungry, so unsurprisingly my attempts usually failed miserably.”
She said Slimming Word, which runs her group, and the competition, was completely different by involving easy changes to the way she cooked and ate.
She said: “I loved tucking into delicious healthy meals and watching the pounds fall off. It was great to prepare meals that suited my family and friends too so we’ve all benefited from eating more healthily – and often they couldn’t believe they were eating ‘healthy’ food.”
She said she had made many friends at the group and said: “Thanks to them – and my weight loss – I’m a more confident person as well as a slimmer one.”
Adam, who leads the New Earswick group, said: “Leeann is not only looking fab, she’s a brilliant example of the difference making changes to your eating habits and getting more active can make. She’s added years to her life and her success is inspiring other people in the group and York to turn their health around and help us beat obesity in the area.”
At the semi-final, Leanne was congratulated by Dancing on Ice winner and Emmerdale actor Matthew Wolfenden who said: “Obesity is never out of the news so for Leeann to be making the headlines for all the right reasons is brilliant.”
The competition final is in Birmingham next month.
