I’ve always battled with my weight. Raising children whilst juggling a career, and looking after a very demanding husband in what was a very abusive and destructive marriage, I had no time to spend looking after and caring for myself.

I became estranged from my husband and found myself on my own for the first time in my life. I had no identity and time on my hands that I didn’t know how to fill, so I filled it with eating and drinking and spiralled into a miserable existence. My size increased, and I felt myself growing older and unhappier by the day.

At the beginning of 2015, on a very rare evening out, I was introduced to a very lovely gentleman. We had a fabulous evening talking and laughing, and I felt the happiest I had felt for a long time. He made me feel young, attractive and interesting again – a feeling I hadn’t had for many, many years.

That night when I got home, those happy feelings suddenly turned into ones of self-doubt. I questioned how this wonderful man could ever find me attractive and want to spend time with me. Then I had an awful feeling of how I could ever let this man see me with no clothes on! …I was jumping the gun a little there, but it made me sit up and realise I had to take control of my life again.

A friend of mine recommended I have a chat with her CWP Consultant. I began my weight-loss journey in February 2015. It was a real joy to see my journey through photos, and as my shape changed the clothes that hadn’t fitted for years began to look and feel comfortable to wear again.

Life just kept improving – my food choices were so much better! My social life also improved as I began to try out new hobbies and experiences. I had found a new confidence and happiness.

I began ‘seeing’ the gentleman that had been the catalyst for starting my weight-loss journey. We kept things quiet for a while from our families, as we were unsure what their reaction would be.

As I reached my 75^th birthday in April 2016 at a milestone weight for me, I couldn’t believe how much of my life had changed through CWP. I was going to parties, having ‘rock n roll’ lessons, travelling, planning trips, going to sewing classes, attending Pilates classes and ballet lessons. As well as going to Bingo nights, dancing nights, film nights, Keep Fit lessons, and still MADLY IN LOVE!

Who says you can’t still be sexy at 70!

I went this summer on a “trip of a lifetime” to see my son in Canada. It was when he didn’t recognise me at the airport, that I realised how far I had come.