Tina Cotton, 45, was trying for a baby but at over 19st was warned that her weight might be to blame after she suffered three miscarriages.
As a result of the news, she began gorging on junk food, which included hundred packets of cheese and onion crisps a month.
But in January 2017, Tina, from Tamworth, made a vow to change her life and kick-started her weight loss journey.
Now the mum-of-three weighs 10st 13lbs after ditching the crisps for a calorie-controlled diet and walking thousands of steps with her Fitbit.
“I can’t believe I used to put away so many”
Tina Cotton
The school cook said: “I don’t eat any crisps at all now, I can’t believe I used to put away so many.
“I’d have at least three packs a day. I was a comfort eater, I’d eat until I felt sick most days.
“After I lost my three babies I just couldn’t cope with the fact I wasn’t going to be a mum again.
“Now I have a balanced diet, I do traditional calorie counting, I find it works better than any of these groups that people are obsessed about.
“As well as eating properly I make sure to do at least 16,000 steps-a-day, some days I even manage 30,000, like on a recent family holiday.”
Tina decided she wanted more children after meeting and marrying new husband David Cotton, 48, in 2006.
After two failed marriages he was a “breath of fresh air” and the pair fell pregnant together in 2009, with now nine-year-old Isabella-Rae.
“I was desperate to get pregnant again and have another baby – it totally ruled my life,” she added.
She continued: “The more stressed I got, the more I ate, it was a vicious circle. All I would think about was my ovulation cycle, and which exact days to have sex on- it got very clinical.
“I was spending all my money on pregnancy tests, it was all I thought about, it wasn’t healthy at all.”
Tina knew from the start that weight loss groups weren’t for her, so instead she began cutting out alcohol and junk food to see a difference.
She joined weight loss groups on Facebook and Instagram to gather hints and tips, where she lost 6st in one year.
But then it was her colleague who recommended calorie-counting which started a new wave of her progress.
Not only was Tina delighted to find her body shrinking, her boobs went from a 42H to 34D.
The mum explained: “It’s taken a literal weight off my shoulders, although they now quite saggy.
“I’m saving up for a boob job to get them perkier. Some of my mates are even telling me not to lose anymore weight but I’m not really planning to as I’m at my ideal weight now.
“It’s an amazing feeling, I honestly never thought I’d get here. Walking as much as I can and watching what I eat has been the key for me, once you’ve got the motivation you can achieve anything.
“One thing I do know, is that I’ll never touch a packet of cheese and onion crisps again!”
- Weight loss
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