A mum who gorged on up to 30 tubs of Cadbury's chocolates before Christmas has shed more than six stone in an incredible transformation .
Susanne Coles, 34, ballooned to 17st 9lb after stocking up on chocolates from mid-September each year and feasting on takeaways.
But she became fed up of being the "fat mum at the school gates" and decided to fight the flab.
Since then, the mother-of-five has dropped six dress sizes and now tips the scales at 11st 6lb.
Recalling previous Christmases, Susanne said: "I’d start getting tubs of Roses and Heroes in mid-September to make sure I had all the treats sorted for me and the family, but I’d buy two tubs a week and eat them all to myself.
"I’d tell everyone friends or family had called round so I’d opened them to offer round – and I’d have to get some more for us. But the same would happen again... and again."
"I’d even buy Quality Street because I didn’t really like them much – and I scoffed them too."
But Susanne, who is from Huyton, Merseyside, joined Slimming World this year to aid her weight loss journey.
She said she began gaining weight at college and a physical assault on a night out in her late teens worsened the issue.
"I was 17 and I’d gone for a night out with friends when I was attacked. From then on, if I’m honest, although I had counselling to help me deal with it, I blocked most of it out and started comfort eating," Susanne added.
"I went to Ibiza one year a size 8, and went back the following year a size 18.
"And I hadn’t even realised I had put weight on.
"It was as though I’d gone to bed one size and woken up bigger. Before I knew it, I was a size 24 and I weighed 17st 9lb."
"I can’t physically remember the weight creeping on and no one pulled me up and said 'do you know you’re getting bigger and bigger'? If only they had."
But Susanne is now a consultant for Slimming World.
She's ditched her McDonald’s breakfasts, fattening snacks and sugary energy drinks for home-cooked meals and healthy treats.
"For lunch, I’d have a sandwich with anything on white bread, followed by more crisps, another chocolate bar and a Red Bull.
"Then going home on the bus I’d have more crisps and chocolate, if only to relieve the boredom of the journey," the mum said.
"At Christmas it just got even worse. I’d plough through the Pringles, and buy packs of party food like cocktails sausages, sausage rolls and pork pies, the ones with a dozen in. Then I’d go upstairs and secretly eat four out of each and think ‘well I can’t put them back in the fridge now, I might as well finish them off’.
"And the tubs of chocolates were the worst. At two a week it’s hard to believe I could get through about 28."
Susanne met a new man this year - Gary - and since lost weight.
She conrtinued: "I didn’t want to be the fat mum at the school gates,” says Susanne. "I didn’t want to embarrass Daniel and Rebecca - kids can be cruel.
"It’s great because we all eat healthily as a family because I don’t want the children to make the same mistakes I made.
"I’m really looking forward to Christmas this year but I’ll not be getting the chocolate tubs in until Christmas Eve – and I’ll limit myself to one or two at a time."
