I have battled with my weight for most of my adult life, always putting it down to baby weight because that was easier than just admitting I didn’t have the will power to actually do anything about it!!

My before photo is a VERY rare item, as like most people who aren’t happy with themselves I always hid behind the camera, but being on holiday and having a husband with a camera phone I couldn’t avoid this one being taken, and I was horrified when my hubbie put it on Facebook. But still I didn’t have the willpower to fight the battle.

It took me several more years to realise no one was going to magic the weight away and I plucked up the courage to join Curves, for the first time in my life I was doing exercise on a regular basis and it felt good.

Then sadly life got in my way when I lost my dad in 2010, I suddenly had my world turned upside down, and it was easier to eat donuts and pizza than actually care about myself and what I looked like, I quickly ballooned from a tight size 14 to an incredibly tight 16, and I certainly wouldn’t actually admit I was really an 18.

I carried on like this for a year until my sister said that she wanted to join a slimming club but didn’t want to go alone, so I bit the bullet and went with her. Feeling confident that she weighed more than me I carefully got on the scales and quickly jumped off again when they told me I weighed 14 stone 2.5lbs, I was heavier than my sister by a mile, I was gutted and wanted to hide away but I couldn’t do that as I said I’d do it with her and I couldn’t let her down.

So I ditched the junk and stocked the fridge with fruit and low fat foods, I started making every meal from scratch and filled the plates up with loads of fresh veg and in my first week I lost 6.5lbs, I was gob-smacked and determined that this was my time to shift the weight so I carried on going to group, but a few months later my sister told me she was pregnant so wouldn’t be going to group any more, I made the decision to carry on going by myself but to a different group nearer to home, I’d lost 2 stone and knew if I quit now it would go straight back on.

The first time I went to my new group I was so nervous, I didn’t do public speaking and I certainly didn’t do the unknown, and here I was doing both! Was I mad, did I run for the hills… no, I sat it out and realised we were all there for the same reason and we could support each other, and no one there knew me or anything about me, no one judged me for my slow weight loss, and I joined in with the discussions we had as a group, people offered me tips and picked me up if I gained one week. I nearly felt happy with where I was, the one thing stopping me now was my wobbly bits.

Through the wonders of social media I heard about PW Physique and Fitness and had a nose through their Facebook page, the transformations were amazing and even better for me they were starting one of their challenges very soon. What did I have to lose, except my wobbly bits – LOL!

I emailed Anthony and signed up there and then.

I could do this!

I walked into the studio on the 6th November 2013 not really knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised that I made it through that first session alive, I knew I wasn’t fit but I wasn’t going to show myself up in front of a room full of people I’d never met so I gave it my all and totally enjoyed it, it was amazing for the fist time ever I was hooked on exercise I couldn’t wait to do it again!

Wednesday morning came round so quick and although I ached like I’d never ached before I knew I had to go back, I had to have that feeling of accomplishment again. It was awesome I’d come out the studio ready to take on the world.

This was it, I’d found the way to shift those wobbly bits for life. When I joined I was a comfortable size 12 or a tight 10, I am now an 8-10 and the wobbly bits are definitely on their way out.

If someone had told me 4 years ago this is where I’d be now I wouldn’t have believed them. Me… hooked on exercise 3 times a week, never, being able to walk 2.7 miles to pick my child up from school, no chance, walking into a room full of strangers openly talking about my battle with my weight, not a chance!! ( Let alone doing that last one twice!!)

I am so proud of myself for finally making the right choices and when my daughter took my newest photo I couldn’t believe that was me! If that can’t keep me focused nothing can. I can honestly say I never thought I’d see the day where I couldn’t wait to put a dress on and go to a wedding.

All I can say now is bring on the rest of my life, I’m loving it and can’t wait to see what I can achieve in the future, because I have proved to myself that anything is possible.