Nicola Pearson, from Chirk, a former 'yo-yo' dieter, now weighs just nine stone, having lost three stone after joining her local Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club.

The 35 year old is delighted to have swapped her size 16-18 clothes for size eight or 10.

"I love being slim. I can go into any shop and try on any fashion I like and not feel fat or stupid," Nicola said.

At the age of eight, however, Nicola was already a stone overweight. She was two stone overweight when she left school at the age of 16 and her weight continued to fluctuate in the next decade.

She recalled: "I just ate too much. I tried other diets but nothing worked for long."

Nicola 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," she said.

"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 in October 2007.

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

l Nicola's dieting success is featured in the latest issue of Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness magazine, which went on sale last week.

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