MUM Nicola Pearson, from Chirk, had been overweight since she was a child.

Now, after losing three stone with the help of her local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club, the former yo-yo dieter weighs just nine stone and is delighted to have swapped her size 16/18 clothes for size 8 or 10.

“I love being slim,” said Nicola, 35, who used to weigh 12st. “I can go into any shop and try on any fashion I like and not feel fat or stupid.”

At the age of eight, Nicola was already a stone overweight. “I just ate too much,” said Nicola, who was two stone overweight when she left school at the age of 16.

Nicola’s weight continued to fluctuate in the next decade. “I tried other diets but nothing worked for long,” she added.

She put on an enormous amount of weight when she became pregnant but failed to lose it even after her son, Joshua, was born five years ago.

“I hated being fat and now when I look at photos of me at the time, I cringe,” says Nicola.

“I decided I didn’t want to spend motherhood fat. There was a nearby Rosemary Conley Club run by Emma Wheat, which I’d heard good reports about, so I decided to give it a go.”

After changing her daily diet and discovering a love of exercise, Nicola reached her target weight.

“My husband, Trevor, loves the new me and has lost a few pounds, too. We’ve even taken up ballroom dancing which we really enjoy but something I would never have contemplated before.”

For details of Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs in North East Wales call Emma Wheat on 01978 806148 or visit www.rosemaryconley.com.