Slimline tonic for couple and school cook who shed the pounds (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Slimline tonic for couple and school cook who shed the pounds

7:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Kathie Griffiths, T&A Reporter

Three dieters are celebrating losing stones and pounds – and gaining confidence.

Barry and Janet Thorn, of Low Moor, Bradford, have shed a mighty 6st 3lb between them in the last seven months.

Mrs Thorn, 54, said it was major surgery for ovarian cancer that spurred her into losing weight.

She said she thought being overweight had contributed to her life-threatening illness during which surgeons had to remove a tumour weighing one stone.

“I think if I had not have been so overweight I could have saved my family from so much worry and stress. I felt constantly tired and run down so ate to make myself feel better which of course was making me feel even worse,” she said.

Her husband said he originally only went along to a slimming club to support her but he added: “Deep down I knew I had some weight to lose, I found it difficult getting around at work and was constantly seen puffing and panting when going up the stairs.”

Now Mrs Thorn, who has bought a cross trainer and a punch ball to exercise for the first time since her school days, has lost nearly 4st so far and her husband has shed 2st 7lb.

The couple attend a Thursday slimming club at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Common Road.

Meanwhile, school cook Emma Jones, of Otley, has lost a staggering seven stones after giving up big portions of her homemade food and taking to the treadmill instead. Once tipping the scales at 17st, the mum-of-two has slimmed down by six dress sizes in five months by eating main meals and banning snacks in between.

She joined a slimming club after suffering post-natal depression and comfort eating. “I wasn’t paying any attention to my weight and I wasn’t taking any care of myself. I just ballooned,” she said.

“I had some help for the depression and I started to feel better about life in general. My weight was starting to get me down. It suddenly struck me that I was approaching 42. I just had to do something about the way I looked, as I was beginning to let myself go. It was scary.”

As well as working-out on a treadmill, Miss Jones has recruited her chocolate-coloured Labrador Archie as a training partner and the pair run round together.

She now runs a 10k race every month and, as a trim size 10, has entered into two marathons and The Great North Run later this year to raise money for the NSPCC. To help make her £2,000 target, you can sponsor her at virginmoney.giving.emmajones43.