A mum-of-three who topped the scales at 22 stone lost more than half her bodyweight after getting divorced - and now she wants to be a personal trainer.
Carly Fisher, 41, watched her weight creep up during each of her pregnancies until 2019, when her 40th birthday loomed.
Wearing size 26 clothes, Carly was unhappy with her weight and didn't want to see in a new decade of her life overweight.
Working shifts in a hospital, Carly's lack of routine played havoc with her diet and caused her to miss meals.
"I'd snack during the day on things like crisps and chocolate, then I'd have a big meal in the evening," she said.
"It would be twice the portion size that I needed. The shift work messed up my body clock so I wasn't eating at normal times."
In January 2019 she signed up to a diet and fitness plan, but within weeks she gave up.
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Just a few months later, Carly's marriage sadly came to an end, causing her to lose two stone in just a few weeks through stress.
She said: "At the end of the month, by then living on my own with my kids, something clicked. I was determined to tackle my weight head on and I have never looked back."
Carly, who is mum to Ebon, 12, Erin, nine and Ellis, five, set herself a goal of losing about six stone.
"But, when I'd already lost 6st by August 2019, I just kept on going," she said.
By the beginning of 2020, Carly had lost eight stone, and by November she'd shed an incredible 11 stone - meaning she'd lost half her body weight.
In March 2021, she weighed 9st 12lbs - taking her total weight loss to a phenomenal 12st 12lbs.
"I have just been maintaining my weight ever since," she said.
"I had followed a diet plan, with supplements to take alongside the calorie counting, but the gym had been good for toning my body and also for my head - as it really helped me to take my mind off things.
"I started working out properly in January 2020, although I could only do it at home during the lockdowns."
Carly admits she's changed her relationship with food since starting a new fitness programme.
"It was a lifestyle change for me and not just a weight loss diet," she said. "I have a much better relationship with food now."
To shed the pounds, Carly cut down on processed carbs and filled up her plate with roughage and vegetables to satisfy her appetite.
"My kids are so proud of me, I’m even thinking of taking some personal training qualifications," she said.
"I find a lot of people wanting to lose weight ask me for advice, as they know I have been big. I think it puts people at ease and I feel I could really help people.
"They know I've been really overweight, so they are prepared to listen to me when I give advice on diet and exercise, as they know I cracked it."
Now she plans her meals, Carly finds it easier to stick to healthy habits.
Have you had an incredible body transformation? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
"Before I lost weight, I'd eat at the wrong times and do things like tuck into a sausage sandwich at 11pm or even midnight, if I'd worked a shift and been up watching a film," she said.
"Now, I'm much more in control of my diet, so that doesn't happen."
Carly still favours a small breakfast, like a protein shake before the gym. For lunch she'll have something like chicken salad, and for dinner she opts for her old favourites - just healthier versions.
She still loves spaghetti Bolognese, but instead of having a traditional version, she'll swap spaghetti for courgetti.
The lean mum said: "I might even have a bit of chocolate if I fancy it, as I won't have snacked and overeaten throughout the day."
Although she's much more confident in her new, slender frame, Carly isn't ready to dive back into the dating pool yet.
She said: "Don't get me wrong, if somebody came along and they were right for me, I'd be happy to start seeing them, as I feel much more confident than I did when I was overweight, but I'm not actively looking."
