Anne-Marie, who was nearly 16 stone and a size 20, had struggled with her weight since her teens. Married to bus driver Ben, 36, she was 21 when she had her first son, Joshua, now ten. He was followed by Thomas, now eight and Daisy, four.

“The boys are close in age so I didn’t have time to lose the weight I’d gained with Joshua,” says Anne-Marie. “By the time I had Thomas, I’d shot up to 13 stone. I’d hide my figure in baggy tracksuit bottoms and T-shirts which made me look even bigger. “While I made sure the children always ate healthily, I’d make a ­different meal for me and Ben or we’d order a takeaway. At night, we’d share a family-size bar of chocolate.”

When Thomas was a year old, Anne- Marie found a job as a full-time bus driver. She’d eat stodgy lunches in the canteen – it was during one that a colleague commented on her size. “I often felt lethargic so I’d have sugary drinks and chocolate to give me an energy rush. I started to ­wonder if my weight was the reason why I felt so unwell,” she says. But when Anne-Marie started ­suffering blackouts, she had to give up work.

But in 2008 she was ­diagnosed with ME, which she realised had caused many of her health ­problems. “I couldn’t play with the children and some days I couldn’t get out of bed ­because of the ME,” she says. But in May last year, she went along to her local Slimming World meeting and began a new healthy eating plan. Anne-Marie, who’s vegetarian, lost just under 4lbs in the first week. “I never felt hungry,” she says. “So it was easy to stick to.”

Last year she was thrilled to reach her 9st 7lb target ­after losing 6st 5lb. “I can pick up any pair of size-8 jeans – and even a size 6 in some shops – knowing they’ll fit me, which is the best feeling in the world,” she says.

And while the weight loss hasn’t improved the ME, and she often feels exhausted, she’s now bursting with confidence. “It took a while for me to get used to the new slim me but I feel ­fantastic. “The only comments I get these days are positive ones and that’s how it’s going to be from now on!”

How you can do it too

• Plan your meals in advance so you won’t grab the easiest and quickest thing out of the freezer to cook.
• Don’t deprive yourself. The more you forbid yourself from eating something, the more you’ll crave it.
• Snack on fruit and raw vegetables and switch to flavoured water instead of sugary drinks.
• Stay focused and determined – it will be worth it in the long run.

Classic meal makeovers

• Breakfast: Bacon sandwich
• Snack: Chocolate bar and crisps
• Lunch: Pie with chips and a fizzy drink
• Snack: Sweets.
• Evening meal: Large portion of cheesy lasagne with garlic bread
• Snack: Crisps and chocolate.

After

• Breakfast: Porridge with skimmed milk
• Snack: Fruit and yoghurt
• Lunch: Pasta with sauce
• Snack: Fruit and yoghurt
• Evening meal: Lasagne with Slimming World ‘sin-free’ chips
• Snack: Cereal bar and low-fat hot chocolate drink.

Fat file

Age: 31

Height: 5ft 5in

Top weight: 15st 12lb

Weight now: 9st 7lb

Top size: 18/20

Size now: 8

Source: Daily Mirror