A CAKE-LOVING mum, who gained weight following her son’s difficult birth, has shed six stone after making a New Year resolution last year.

Barry mum Joanne Morgan, a keen baker and paediatric nurse in Cardiff, piled on the pounds after her son Aaron, now five, was born.

Her clothes size increased to 24/26 and she feared knowing her exact weight.

Miss Morgan, 39, also decided the prospect of turning the milestone 40 years of age, was another good reason to change.

She has so far lost six stone, two pounds since joining Weight Watchers, and now wears clothes sized 16/20 as she continues to pursue her final weight loss goal.

Miss Morgan said: “My weight was put on over my lifetime. I was always athletic at school as a bigger child. It just progressively got worse following traumatic birth and a premature son.

“Something needed to change and I forced myself to attend a meeting and see what Weight Watchers could offer me.

“My New Year Resolution was to join Weight Watchers and lose weight.

“I had made this for many occasions, but this year I was determined to try new things and Weight Watchers was the only route.

“I wanted to make the change for me and my son and make a new life for us.

“My first class, joining I was very nervous and anxious and I wondered what others would think of me. Would I be the biggest in class?”

A new job saw her change from her coach Kelly Evans, in Ely, to the Barry Weight Watchers coach, Debbie Spargo.

Miss Morgan said: “At the start I would not look and did not want my weight recorded on my card as I could not mentally cope with seeing the figures. However, losing 7lb in first week gave me the boost I needed.

“Both Kelly and Debbie went along with my wishes and would only tell me of my loss or gain.

“The first week was hard. I still had the cravings, but also felt it was a diet; not a lifestyle change. I had, and still do adore my bread and butter. I have learnt to still have it, but reduce the amount and what type of bread I have. Now it’s a lifestyle change and not a diet.

“I had to learn how to change what I ate and how it was cooked. I learnt alternative ways to get the same thing - for example fish and chips.

“I love to bake and to this day still bake my cakes. However, I love to look at recipes and see how I can make them lower in points and how they can work for me.”

She said that losing weight had given her a positive boost and attending a class had increased her confidence.

She has also learnt to embrace the cravings, but adapt them or incorporate them in the Flex plan.

She said: “Since losing weight I don’t feel much difference in myself, but my joints are probably thanking me. In the long run I know that it is helping me reduce the risk of long term health conditions.

Thanking friends and family for their support, she added: “For others thinking I would say ‘don’t think too much – do it’. Everyone in the class is in the same position and you make friends along the way; not diet buddies.

“I would say that I am three quarters of my way through my weight-loss journey. I am a single, professional, busy mum with a five-year-old and if I can do it anyone can.”