A teacher is feeling a new woman and enjoying time with her children after she lost more than four stone in 26 weeks.

Sarah Sharp, 38 and a mother-of-two from Bradwell, has gone from a size 20 to a size 12 in six months after walking through the doors of her local Slimming World group.

She has joined as due to her size she was constantly tired and would get to the end of the school day feeling exhausted. Her husband and children would often be frustrated by her lack of motivation for family fun and it left her feeling down.

Mrs Sharp said: “I started to put on weight during my first pregnancy 10 years ago. I’ve never been happy about my weight, even as a child and teenager. When I had children, I was making them healthy meals, but I was eating so much rubbish in between meals that I was never going to get any smaller or healthier.”

She now follows Slimming World’s Food Optimising eating plan, which encourages slimmers to fill up on healthy everyday foods like fruit and vegetables, lean meat and fish, pasta, potatoes, rice and pulses.

Mrs Sharp said: “I love that I can genuinely eat whatever I want, I’ve been able to tweak family favourites.

“Things like swapping oil for spray oil has meant that chips and roast potatoes still feature on the menu each week. I wouldn’t usually eat before lunch before Slimming World.

“Then from lunch until 10pm I was pretty much eating constantly. Now I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with planned snacks in between. I actually eat way more than before. I’m never hungry and I know I’m definitely eating a balanced diet.”

“My husband will tell you that I’m like a different person. I’m much nicer to be around. My mood has completely transformed.

“Getting tired when I’m out with family is no longer a problem. I can keep up with my children. I’m the wife and mummy that I want to be.”

The Bradwell Slimming World group is held every Tuesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm at Mill Lane Community Centre. To find out more call organiser Karley Manthorpe on 07552 760668.