‘She’s a real role model’
An East Yorkshire woman says she feels great inside and out after losing 7st. Karlie Acaster was one of 42 women who reached the semi-finals of a competition to find Slimming World’s most inspiring female members.
Karlie went form 18st 5lbs to 11st 3.5lbs. She said that before she lost the weight, it was impacting her health and the way she felt about herself. She explained: “My confidence was low and I was self-conscious about my size, but I didn’t know how to change things.”
She went on to join Slimming World in Beverley, which she called ‘the best decision I’d ever make.’ She said: “It was the physical challenges I was facing and my fear of getting even bigger and unhealthier that jolted me into doing something about it.
“I discovered a way of eating that worked for me and my life – it wasn’t like a diet at all and I couldn’t believe it when I lost 6lbs in my first week. I didn’t have to give up the meals I loved, old favourites like spaghetti bolognaise, curries and tacos were still on the menu, just cooked in a healthier way.
“I started trimming the fat off meat and using low-calorie cooking spray instead of oil, for instance. It wasn’t long before people started noticing, and that gave me the motivation to keep going.”
Karlie says the support of her Slimming World group kept her motivation high too: “My Slimming World group and my Consultant Kate have been incredible. The support, ideas and encouragement from everyone each week helped me believe I could do this.
“Going to the group each week was a reset for me, and they’ve been there for me every step of the way. Each week we’d talk about any challenges we had coming up or share new recipes we’d tried, and I learned so much – about food, and about myself and my own relationship with food.”
As Karlie started to lose weight she began to think about becoming more active. She said: “My Consultant Kate would often talk about Slimming World’s activity support programme and how important activity was for your overall health. As I lost weight and felt more confident, I decided to give it a go.
“I started by walking places I would normally have driven to and built that up and now I walk 10-15k steps a day. I find it really helps me mentally and emotionally too.”
For her efforts, Karlie Acaster was one of just 42 women to secure a place at the semi-finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2025 competition, after the members of her group in Beverley voted for her to represent them nationally. She celebrated her incredible achievement with former England rugby international James Haskell, who described her as a ‘role model’.
He said: “Karlie has done something truly inspiring. She’s taken control of her health, built her confidence and developed life-long healthy habits. It shows that with the right support and mindset, you can achieve the things you set out to. She’s become stronger – physically and mentally – and for that she’s a real role model.”
Kate Reid who runs the group that Karlie attends said she is so proud of what she’s achieved. “Karlie is a star and watching her journey has been a privilege. She’s not just lost weight, she’s grown in confidence and self-belief.
“She’s a huge support to others in group and a brilliant example of what can be achieved. Losing weight isn’t easy, we know that, and support plays a huge role in people’s motivation and success.
“Whether you are just starting your journey, need some extra support to develop healthy eating alongside weight-loss medication or you’ve been a member before, we’ve made some exciting new changes at our groups and I’d love to welcome anyone to pop along to our group at Toll Govel United Church in Beverly on Fridays at 9am and 10:30am.”
Is Hull the best place to live in Yorkshire? You can have your say by completing the poll below or by clicking here.