"As a family we love to eat out but going out a couple times a week - and a bottle of wine wach time - was a disaster for my waistline," recalls Gillian.
Initially Gillian joined a gym to try counteract her poor eating habits. "Exercising in front of mirrors and decreasing energy levels, it wasn't long before I lost enthusiasm and just gave up," she says.
After a holiday in Tenerife was an eye opener, Gillian decided she needed to lose weight but couldn't do it alone.
"I spent the all trip feeling fat and frumpy, then the crunch came on the flight home, when I was too embarrassed to ask for a seatbelt extension. I spent the all flight with the seatbelt painfully digging in," says Gillian.
When she got home, Gillian joined Scottish Slimmers, and hasn't looked back. "By Christmas I had lost 3 stone and when my daughter started cycling I decided to get one too!
"If someone had told me a year ago I would even own a bike, let alone enjoy riding it, I would have laughed," says Gillian.
In total, Gillian lost 7 stone, found herself happier and healthier. "We cycle regularly and, if I am not cycling, I grab my iPod and get walking."
Gillian still enjoys eating out, but now makes healthier choices from the menu. "Scottish Slimmers helped me understand that it's not about missing out, just building healthier habits."