I guess my journey started about 4 and half years ago when my twin sister asked me if she could borrow my clothes for a Christmas party normally its not a problem we have quite often shared clothes in the past except this time she was about 8 months pregnant and wanted to wear my normal clothes as her maternity clothes. It hit me quite hard that I had got a lot bigger than I realised I was really happy and content in a relationship but suddenly realised I weighed over 14 and half stone!! I remember shopping for an outfit for an opening party of the store I was opening at the time and had to get a size 22 I hated myself!

I joined weight watchers and lost a stone put half back on lost it put it back on lost it repeatedly for about 2 years.  Looking back I wasn’t focused on it. It didn’t seem important. During that time my boyfriend and I broke up which in retrospect was a lot to do with how I felt about myself I wasn’t putting him ahead of anything cause I couldn’t believe he liked me the way I was! I threw myself into work and did really well but didn’t resolve my issue with my weight or how I felt about me!

I remember being really cross with my closest friends for not telling me how big I got! A few things happened that suddenly started to make me want to really change. I had been single for a couple of years and entirely blamed the way I looked. I found an old photo of me at my biggest and felt physically sick at the sight of it! I carry that photo every where now!

I did a car boot sale with some friends and my mum I had a lot of clothes to sell! I just bought new ones every time I put on or lost weight. During a quiet spell at the car boot sale my mum turned to me and said we need the bigger ladies to come and have a look the we might sell some! At the time I was gutted my mum as much as I love is very black and white and doesn’t always think before she speaks!

In March this year my housemate sent me a mail with a link to the New You boot camp saying fancy this… To be honest I didn’t even look I just sent one back saying sounds good! Little did I know what I had just agreed to!

In July (I think) Natalie and I got in the car to drive to Boot camp, we got some nice food to eat on the way!

I was really nervous… We were welcomed at a local pub car park by some people who I now consider great friends one of them said ‘is anyone else totally bricking it’ that broke the ice!

We all got weighed and measured I weighed in at 13 stone 12lbs I was a little gob smacked we also got measured.

Bust: 42
R arm: 15
L arm: 14.5
Hips: 47
Thighs: 27
Waist: 36

That week was the hardest week of my life!! But so worth it…Boot camp may have been the hardest week of my life but it was one of the best ones! I met some amazing people who I am still in touch with. When your half way up the black mountains and can’t breathe it takes some pretty amazing friends and staff to make you realise you can do it and continue up the mountain!

At the end of the week we went in one by one and got reweighed and measured I was so nervous everyone was having great results!

I went into the private room and stood on the scales and the staff said ‘oh my god you have lost over a stone… well actually 16lbs and 3/4!! I cried so did they!! Then I got measured again…

Bust: 40
R arm: 13.5
L arm: 13.5
Hips: 47
Thighs: 26.5
Waist: 33

It was official I was the biggest loser and couldn’t be happier!

On returning to work and normal life I was determined to stay focused! My mum and dad were so amazed at how well I had done despite the tearful phone calls during the week they didn’t think I would survive!! They gave me a cheque for half the holiday as a well done but there was one condition if I put it back on I had to give it back! I promised myself I wouldn’t cash it till I’d lost another 7lbs. A month later I weighed 12st 2 and banked the cheque! I got myself a trainer who keeps me really focused and works me really hard once a week he also weighs me which keeps me focused!

I have just come back from a holiday in Antigua and felt fantastic in a Bikini for the first time ever since I was a kid!

I currently weight exactly 12 stone although am away on a fitness week from the 21st so hope to crack that 12stone barrier!*