IPSWICH: A mum who lost nine-and-a-half stone has now started a second group for fellow slimmers.

At her heaviest Ali Newman was a size 30, but thanks to Slimming World she was able to shed her excess pounds and is now a healthy size 14.

Inspired by the results of the programme, Mrs Newman decided she wanted to help other people in Suffolk going through the same bulge battle she fought until joining her local group.

She quit her post as an administrator in 2008 and became a full-time consultant for Slimming World, initially launching a group at St Margaret’s Primary School in May 2009.

Her second group in Claydon and Barham Village Hall starts next Thursday and Mrs Newman said “it was always the dream” to have two sessions so that she could help as many people as possible.

Ali believes her own experience as a member of Slimming World means she can offer her members greater understanding and support.

She said: “They say to me they find a lot of comfort in the fact I have lost a lot of weight and I am still on my journey.

“My story has encouraged larger people to join because they are not scared of coming to the group and they know I understand what it’s like to do this.”

The 37-year-old decided to lose weight after attending a school reunion in 2007.

She saw pictures of the event afterwards and was “shocked” by her own size.

She said: “I’ve battled with my weight all of my life and despite always trying diets I never seemed to lose any.

“Even when I joined Slimming World I wasn’t expecting much. But then I lost a stone in five weeks and I realised how amazing it is.”

The Rayleigh Road resident said she started putting on weight when she and her husband got “sloppy” with their lifestyle choices.

She said: “We were probably having three bottles of wine a week and had started eating three or four takeaways a week.”

In addition to the health benefits of following Slimming World’s eating programme, Ali has discovered a wider world of retail and fashion since losing weight.

“The only clothes I could buy were so expensive – they were literally double the price,” she said.

“But now I can buy things in the sales or anywhere really on the high street. It has been really exciting.”

n Are you a fellow super slimmer? Tell us your story. E-mail starnews@eveningstar.co.uk or write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.