Four woman have shed almost 25 stones between them to look their best for a family wedding.
The bride Lisa Bytheway, 29, sister Michelle Jones, 33, mum Joy Price, 56, and Lisa's mother-in-law Margaret Bytheway lost a total of 343 lbs in a year to ensure they fitted into their frocks.
Lisa Bytheway’s diet of cheap ready meals, chocolate bars and crisps had taken its toll on her waistline.
She broke her ankle in 2011 and as a size 28, she cried to her physiotherapist as her weight made recovery difficult.
It was the wake up call the mum of two needed to go to Slimming World with mum Joy Price, 56, and they were soon followed through the door by Lisa’s sister Michelle Jones, 33.
Joining the Abertillery group in April 2012, Mrs Bytheway had just over a year to shrink into her wedding dress from 19 stone 1lb, as she needed to lose three stone for it to fit.
Soon the pounds were dropping off and by her wedding day on August 9, she was eight and a half stones lighter and the dress had to be taken in, making it smaller still.
That was not the only good news- as her sister lost four stones and her mum shed five.
Lisa’s new mother in law Margaret Bytheway joined in too, slimming by seven stones.
The grand total was 24 and a half stones.
Lisa, now a size 12, said: “The dress wasn’t worth thousands of pounds but it was perfect. I bought it in January and it didn’t fit, I took a gamble and it paid off.”
The mum to Eva- Joy, 6 and Jack, 4 has returned to her beloved Arsenal’s football ground in April.
She said: “Before I had to go through the disabled part as I failed to squash through the turnstile. But this time there was plenty of room. When the first goal was scored I could stand up and turn round in a full circle. When I was heavier I wouldn’t have been able to move.”
Her sister Michelle said her family will remember the wedding day forever: “Lisa looked absolutely stunning. I knew she would see the diet through but I didn’t know how much she would lose in such a short space of time. We all felt fabulous in our dresses.”
Joy Price said: “We have lost a whole person between us and a big one at that.”
Naturally, the fab Valleys four let the diet slip a little on Lisa’s wedding day to Neil, 34 at Llanhilleth Miners’ Institute, but felt on top of the world in their smaller size outfits for the cameras.
PANEL
Lisa’s diet
Before: No breakfast or lunch
First meal at 4pm: something processed like a ready meal
Snacks: large chocolate bar and pack of crisps
After: Breakfast - lean bacon, brown toast, tomatoes and fried onions
Lunch- chicken carrots, peas, potatoes, broccoli
Dinner- diet coke chicken and rice
Snacks- fruit, hi fi bar
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