Karen scoops award for long-term weight loss success
An inspirational slimmer who has maintained her 3st 12lbs weight loss for four years and nine months has reached the semi-finals of a national competition which celebrates long-term weight management.
Karen Cooper, 62, runs a Slimming World group in Brandhall, Oldbury, and uses her own experiences to support 45 members in the community each week.
Karen was one of just 26 Slimming World Consultants from across the UK and Ireland to secure a place in the semi-finals of the organisation’s Top Target Consultant 2026 competition, held at its head office in Derbyshire. The competition celebrates Consultants who have shown a commitment to building lasting healthy habits and maintaining their own weight loss, while helping and inspiring others in their local community to make changes too.
Karen first joined her local Slimming World in August 2020 weighing 13st 6lbs after finding her weight was impacting the way she felt about herself inside and out. She reached her target weight of 9st 8lbs in May 2021and has maintained it ever since – a total of four years nine months.
She says: “Before joining Slimming World, my weight was a big issue for me, consuming my daily thoughts and stopping me from doing the things I now enjoy, like going for a walk. Before, I wasn’t able to enjoy long walks because of the weight I gained while battling a brain tumour.
“If I’m honest though, I didn’t dare to believe that I’d be able to lose weight and stay slim for good. I thought if I wanted to lose weight, I’d have to restrict myself and this would mean missing out. With Slimming World it just wasn’t the case. Nothing is off limits, I learned how to prepare and cook all my favourite food in a different way. I wasn’t missing out, instead I was filling my body with nutritious and healthy foods I love, like pasta, fruit and veg and I've lost 3st 12lbs while doing so.
“I remember being nervous and full of doubt when I got to my first Slimming World group. I also remember how quickly those nerves disappeared though. All the group members and my Consultant were so welcoming. It was refreshing to be in a space where everyone was on the same journey and cheered each other on – I didn’t feel like I was alone anymore. I’d say from my very first group something switched in my mind and I started to believe I could lose weight – in fact, I was determined to reach my weight loss goal – and stay there. That self-belief and commitment was a game changer for me.”
It wasn’t long before Karen started to think about how she could get moving more and Slimming World’s active lifestyle programme has helped her build up her activity levels at her own pace. She says: “Now I walk around five miles every day. I love that it’s my time for me, it helps me to feel great both physically and mentally, and it helps me to manage my weight, too.”
After losing 3st 12lbs and reaching her target weight, Karen wanted to help other people make the changes she had made and so decided to train to become a Slimming World Consultant herself in July 2025. Now she supports slimmers at her group, held every Thursday at 5.30pm at the Oaktree centre, Tame Road, Oldbury.
She says: “I love where I am in my life right now. I’m happy, healthy and in a role I’m so passionate about that doesn’t feel like work – and I have Slimming World to thank for that. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my wonderful Consultant and group members. They were such a key part of my journey, so the opportunity to do something for people in a similar situation just seemed perfect. I love the freedom and flexibility it allows me, and that I can still go to work, run my group and enjoy my spare time. I feel so lucky that I’ve been able to pay it forward now with my members – seeing their success is so rewarding.”
If you’re inspired by Karen’s journey everyone’s welcome at the Brandhall Slimming World group, anyone who’d like to find out more can call Karen on 07949 412512.
