At the end of 2006 I realised how unhappy how I was - I was only 20, but felt like I didn't have much of a life, and put this down to being very overweight. I have been big all my life really, but never had the commitment and determination to actually do something about. I realised that being the size I was was affecting lots of aspects of my life - from where I could buy clothes from, to what I could wear, as well as worrying about fitting in seats etc, that no-one else had to ever give a thought to. I didn't want to live being controlled by my weight. I knew I would struggle to stick to any formal diet plan, so decided to make some changes that would be for the long-term - to eat less/more healthily, and to exercise more. 14-15 months on and I've just passed the 6 stone mark. Not impressively quick I know, but I'm hoping it will mean I can keep it off for good. My BMI is still just a smidgen over 30, and still have another 3 stone to lose before I decide whether I need to lose more. Each time I have to throw away a pair of jeans because they're too big reminds me why it's all worth it!