A Mum-to-be from Tiverton has shed over seven stone in a bid to give her children a better start to life than she had.

Anna Joyce, has lost a total of seven and a half stone, two stone of which she lost during her pregnancy - and says life at her previous size was not much fun.

She said: “I didn't want to go out because I couldn't have nice clothes, I was feeling ugly and fat. I was miserable and hated the way I looked plus I would always worry that someone will say something about my size”.

Things soon went from bad to worse for Anna who turned to food and drink for comfort following the death of her sister.

She said: “Just the thought of going shopping for a size 24 dress was unbearable for me. I knew all my friends would look amazing in their beautiful dresses and I just felt like I would stand out like a sore thumb.”

As the years passed she tried more and more diets, but her weight went up to nearly 22st.

“My wedding day was one of the most wonderful days in my life. I had lost a bit of weight but I was still a size 24-26. I had to have my dress made for me. Looking at the photos made me realise that I didn't want to be that person anymore.”

Two weeks after her wedding Anna joined Slimming World, but a few weeks in she found out she was pregnant. After speaking to her consultant and her midwife and being told it was perfectly safe to do so, Anna decided to carry on attending the group and follow the plan.

The week after having her healthy baby boy, Anna was already two stone lighter than before getting pregnant. In fact, she was feeling fitter not fatter at nine months pregnant.

“With each week I was turning more and more into the mum I always wanted to be - I was cooking the same healthy meals for everyone, I naturally became more active and started taking the kids to the park and for nice walks. I just didn't have the energy for any of it before.”

  • Anna is starting open her own Slimming World group on Monday's starting on July 21 at 7.30pm at St Andrew's Church Hall in Tiverton. For more information, contact her on 07443-488795.