I feel 20 YEARS YOUNGER!

Whether she's out climbing hills with her dogs or hitting the high street to go shopping with her daughter, since losing almost 7st, Marion Brand is taking every day in her stride

A biting wind whipped around the Chiltern Hills as I hopped over a wooden stile and paused to take in the view, with not a soul in sight. Crouching down to photograph a pretty red toadstool, it really hit me: my tummy wasn’t getting in the way, and my knees weren’t crying out in pain even though I’d just walked 9km!

It was hard to believe that not long ago I’d needed painkillers just to take a short walk with my Siberian huskies, Yukon and Loki. Almost 7st heavier then, I was scared of falling and not being able to get back up.

Over the years I’d resigned myself to feeling unhappy with my weight. I’d skip breakfast, then get so hungry that I’d eat a big lunch followed by sharing bags of crisps at my desk. It felt like once I started eating I didn’t have an ‘off switch, especially when it came to crisps. For dinner, I’d have a takeaway curry, matching my 6ft 4in a husband, Nigel, bite for bite. At almost 17st, I weighed the same as him, too. I had an exciting job as a creative director, and I sometimes directed photo shoots of slim models in skinny jeans or slinky lingerie for packaging shots – things I’d never wear in a million years. Instead, I expressed my love of fashion through statement jewellery – big, chunky necklaces and bright colours.

When our daughter, Izy, flew the nest, we’d still meet regularly for shopping trips. One day we spotted a pretty green tunic that we both loved and decided to get matching tops. We picked them up in a size 8 for her and a 24 for me. She literally was my ‘mini me’.

Motivated to change