After three years at university led me to gain around 3 stone in 3 years. Plus a little bit more since I left and started to comfort eat out of boredom. I refused to weigh myself as I was in denial and actually convinced myself I was happy...

My Dukan story...

When my Mum sat me down and voiced her concern about my weight, I cried.

It's a genuinely hard pill to swallow as there is nothing you can do about it at that moment in time and it just makes you feel as low as you can feel.

It was then I got on the scales and was ultimately shocked. For a girl of 5 ft 4, I was so much bigger than I should have been.

It was then I started healthy eating and lost 1/2 stone in 3 months, which is no major feat. Then I started to get bored, and I remembered watching a TV show about diets and Dukan being one of them. Intrigued, I looked it up online and thought 'OK I'll give that a go.'

I bought the book, and my Mum was so supportive and stocked up on Dukan friendly foods such a chicken, lean ham, cottage cheese and crabsticks - and of course oat bran and skimmed milk!

It started really well and on the attack phase I lost 4lbs.
Spurred on, I kept going and was very strict with myself on what I could eat but I never denied myself anything if I was hungry which is an aspect of this diet I loved.

Eating out was no major hassle as you just taylor your meal to what you can eat - I always found Steak to be the easiest option. It was very hard to stop drinking, and I must concede that I did give myself a night off every once in a while.

But even though I wasn't losing it as quickly as I did before, it was still coming off and I felt like I deserved a reward. As I was losing weight my self confidence returned and I felt like the old me again.
I lost 2 stone in 2 months which me and my family were amazed at, and I've had to buy new clothes!!
I was a dress size 12-14 and now i'm a standard size 10 (on bottoms, sometimes a 12) which is perfect for my height and frame.
When it came to stopping phase two, I didn't go on weight but how I looked and felt, and at the weight I am at now I felt it was the time to stop as I feel and look great.

Anyone who has trouble losing weight, or gets bored with traditional methods - this is great and I feel like my old self again.

My favorite support Dukan food: It had to be crabsticks - anytime I was hungry or peckish i'd just get some crabsticks out of the fridge and just eat away to my heart's content - until I was full of course!

My Dukan treat: steak with poached eggs on top and french mustard. My friends were looking on in amazement that I could eat such a large meal and still lose weight!

My favourite form of exercise: I have to walk a good 20 minutes in the morning to get to work so I would try and put a pace on that. I did resent climbing stairs instead of taking escalators but it's worth it when you get to the top as you feel like you've achieved something!

The nicest compliment I've been paid:
"you finally look like you again" and "you look so trim - your waist is tiny!" - I still can't get over these positive comments, especially when someone hasn't seen me in a while! Makes it so worth it.

What keeps me going: how I feel right now. I finally feel comfortable in my own skin, not so obsessive about how fat I feel - just comfortable within myself and how I portray myself to the world. As soon as I have a bad day and I get on the scales - yeah I might have gained 3lbs, but I know i'll lose it. Having scales in the house is a good way not to let it spiral out of control again and keep yourself in check, and I know I won't let it again.

The advice I'd give to others "Dukanians": Don't give up!! It may seem like a mountain but you will get there and it does take time. I was spurred on getting on the scales and seeing the lbs drop, and thinking 'I could really do something amazing here.'