Yet, she’d let herself balloon to a staggering 24 stone after years of yo-yo dieting and had begun feeling more and more depressed.

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However, Mandy, from Tavistock, got the wake up call she needed when her obesity almost killed her during the the birth of her son, now five.

She suffered a major haemorrhage,which she knew was a well-known risk for those who are overweight.

Determined to turn her life around, Mandy signed up to a Slimming World on the advice of a friend – and has since shed half her body weight.

She now feels happier than ever in her new trim 11.5 stone physique – after losing over 12 stone in just 14 months.

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Mandy said: “My weight loss has opened many doors of opportunity with the new found confidence I have gained.

“I am finally achieving my dreams and most importantly enjoying being able to run around with my little boy.”

Mandy had struggled with her weight since childhood and was even bullied due to her size.

My weight loss has opened many doors of opportunity with the new found confidence I have gained

Mandy Coles

She told the Okehampton Times: “I was a chubby child and on the larger side as a teenager.

“As an emotional eater food has literally been my crutch and one that I have relied on heavily.

“As a teenager, I was subjected to bullying because of my weight and this only served to fuel my emotional eating and the weight slowly kept creeping on.”

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Mandy said as an adult she turned to classic yo-yo dieting in a desperate bit to lose weight.

She tried everything from hypnotherapy, diet pills and milkshakes to very restrictive eating plans — all of which failed.

And while Mandy knew just what a strain her weight was putting her body under, particularly as a diabetes nurse – her wake-up call came during the birth of her son.

She said: “As a diabetes research nurse I know only too well the risks I was putting myself at by continuing my lifestyle in this way, yet I felt powerless to change it.

“The enormity of the risks I was putting myself at became a reality when I went into labour with my son and experienced a large haemorrhage which resulted in me being seriously unwell.

“The fact was that I could have died there and then and it was clear to me that this was a direct result of my obesity.”

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In 2016, Mandy decided to try and sign up for a “gravity bounce” weight loss class in the hopes it would help her lose weight.

However, she was swiftly turned away and was told she was three stone over the maximum weight limit.

She describes this as “the final kick” she needed to kick-start her weight loss journey and she soon headed to Slimming World with a friend.

At first, Mandy felt incredibly daunted to join the group – and was worried that as a size 26-28 she would be judged and patronised.

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She said: “Despite knowing that something had to change, knowing how to change it was the most daunting part.

“As a busy 33-year-old mum of a very active toddler and a nurse, finding a way to lose weight and change my lifestyle that fitted in with my family and work seemed impossible.

“I discussed my dilemma with my good friend Louisa Williams and she suggested I attend a weight loss group with her.”

However, she was soon told she could still eat all the food she loved, including chicken nuggets, and the weight started to drop off.

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She realised the meal plan could “easily be adapted to suit family life” and she could eat everything from pizza, roast dinners, curry and “even chicken nuggets and chips”.

She added: “With the hundreds of free foods available it really can be adapted to any lifestyle.

“It really is so easy to follow as it’s not a diet; it is a well balanced healthy eating plan that encourages long term intrinsic lifestyle changes.

The best bit about Slimming World is nothing is banned. If I want to enjoy an ice cream on my day out with my little boy then I can

Mandy Coles

“The best bit about Slimming World is nothing is banned.

“If I want to enjoy an ice cream on my day out with my little boy then I can.

“Slowly I kept swapping my food choices and increasing my physical activity and before I knew it I had easily embraced a whole new lifestyle.

“My confidence was slowly building and I went from wanting to hide behind baggy clothes and false smiles to genuine happiness and clothes that showed off my new forming figure.”

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Despite this, Mandy’s weight loss journey hasn’t been completely straightforward.

She said she nearly faced a set-back when her husband was diagnosed with incurable kidney cancer.

He was forced to have surgery to have his kidney removed, along with a separate operation for a hernia repair.

And despite the pain of seeing her husband going through such a horrific ordeal, her group managed to keep her on track with her diet.

Mandy said: “The old me would have face planted a box of chocolates and probably drunk a bottle of wine seeking to comfort the sheer feeling of despair.

“However, I remembered I now had a whole new extended family to lean on and prevent that happening so I reached out to the new friends that I made. They were simply amazing.

“I was given a lot of love, support and encouragement to be kind to myself during a very tricky time.

“They helped me to see that in order to look after my little boy and support my husband I needed to be at my best and that meant continuing this journey, making positive changes to my life.”

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Mandy has now exceeded her original weight loss target of ten stone and is happier than ever.

“Despite all the trials and tribulations that the last 16 months has thrown at me, here I am now 10st 12.5lbs lighter and I have reached my weight loss target,” she said.

“I have dropped from a size 26 to a size 10-12.

“I am wearing smaller clothes now than I was as a teenager.

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“The journey has given me a whole new lease of life and a wish to never go back to being unhappy.

“It has also had a positive impact on my role as a nurse, as it has given me new confidence to advise my patients and I have inspired many of them to lose weight themselves and take a massive step to improving their health.”

Mandy is now helping others as a Slimming World consultant in Plymouth and Tavistock.

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