People are doing a double take after a woman dropped five stone and five dress sizes in a year.
Rebecca Clarke admits nothing tastes as nice as chocolate, but she has still shed the weight.
The proud mum and grandmother said: “People are walking past me and doing a double take because they don’t recognise me.”
The 53-year-old is a familiar sight on her bicycle around Dundalk, Co Louth, and is no stranger to losing weight either.
Rebecca added: “I lost four stone about eight years ago but it went back on. I was kidding myself thinking I could keep it off without the support of a group.
"What happened is I was losing a stone here and there but kept putting it back on.
“Then over Christmas 2018 I ate my body weight in chocolate.
“That was it and I said to myself, ‘that is enough’ and I rejoined Slimming World on the January 5.
“The group is fantastic, they are so welcoming. I was so nervous going in the first day but Sandra, the group consultant, is fantastic. She is there at the end of the phone if you ever need it.”
The stay-at-home mum has now lost five stone and said: “I was around 20 to 22 in dress size and the one I am wearing today is a size 14.
"I did try on some things in Penneys that were size 12s as well so that was even better.
“My weakness is chocolate and crisps. I have never came across a bar of chocolate I didn’t like and even if I didn’t like it, I still ate it.”
Now she keeps the treats to a minimum and feels the better for it.
A mother of four and with three grand- children, she says life is busy but better without the extra weight.
Rebecca said: “People are used to seeing me whizz about the town on my bicycle but they do a double take because they don’t recognise me without the extra weight.”
Consultant Sandra from the Dundalk Gaels Slimming World group added: “Rebecca is the quiet one, chipping away every week and comes to group hail rain or snow on her bike.”
