When champion dog breeders Jayne and Honor Harrison found they were struggling to keep up in the show ring, they knew they had to take action.
They both competed at dog shows across the UK – including the prestigious Crufts event.
But they found that they were both too heavy to keep up with their champion canines as they showed them off to the judges.
They have now lost a staggering seven stone between them, which means that life is now much easier in the ring.
Jayne, 52, who lives in Heanor, Derbyshire, said: ‘We feel so amazing and much healthier. And its a lot easier in the show ring now to keep up with our dogs. We can can actually run faster than them now without being out of breath and panting our way around the ring.
And we can wear the glamorous competition outfits that we always wanted to wear, instead of feeling overweight and frumpy.’
The twins decided to take action when Jayne’s weight hit 13 stone 4, and Honor was 15 stone 12.
Jayne said: ‘Honor and I had always done everything together, from being little girls. And we’d always promised ourselves that one day we would show our dogs at Crufts.
‘But it had been a temptation at the weekly dog shows to have fast food like burgers and bacon sandwiches to keep us going.’
They joined the Chellaston Slimming World group together in January this year.
Honor, and husband Tim, are the top breeders of Welsh Springer Spaniels, winning Best of Breed at Crufts on many occasions. The couple, who live in Swarkestone, Derbyshire, have sons Callum, 19, and Daniel, 21.
She said: ‘We cut out the trips to the fast food vans at the local dog shows, and instead took our own food, meats and salads, and lots of fruit too. And we would walk 14000 steps a day each too. I now also swim more than 1000 metres at least four times a week.
‘The weight started to fall off us both, and our consultant Liz Foster was incredibly supportive.’
‘Losing weight improved our health conditions too – I suffered from osteoarthritis and Jayne had digestive difficulties. She would drive more than 40 minutes each time, just so we could go to the same slimming club together.
After losing seven stone, Honor now weighs 12 stone 2, but she plans to carry on and hit her target weight of 10 stone 7. Jayne, who is married to husband Steve and has son Arnold, 17, and five step children and four step grandchildren weighs 9 stone 10.
Jayne added: ‘Even after hitting our target weights, we will carry on going to the slimming group together to maintain our new slim selves for life. Our families are so proud of us, especially our mum Doreen, 87, who is an identical twin herself. She’s thrilled that Honor and I have done this together.
‘It’s given us so much more energy – not just in the dog ring, but for living our life.’
