What it's like to... Lose 10 stone in weight

There are people that drop serious poundage by taking pills, or guzzling special shakes. And while they're all great to see in their own way, we really believe that there's no better tale than one of someone grafting really hard to achieve their goals.

So when we heard that 45-year-old Julie Palmer, a civil servant from Tipton, had shed a massive 10 stone purely by putting the time and effort in at the gym, we had to talk to her.

At her biggest, Julie was 25 stone and wore a size 30 dress. She felt that before her weight loss, she was 'living half a life', something she desperately wanted to change.

"I rarely went out because I was worried about fitting into chairs in the cinema or in restaurants. I never went on holiday because I couldn't fit in the seats on the plane and I wasn't comfortable in the heat.

"I was miserable and scared of what I was doing to my health."

Despite knowing she was unhealthy, there was one particular moment that made Julie take stock of her lifestyle.

"I began to see things very clearly on May 31, 2014 and it was all down to one photo. I had been feeling terrible about my weight for quite a while and had been having panic attacks, thinking I was having a heart attack. I had convinced myself that I was starting to see the symptoms of diabetes. But that one photo got right in where nothing else ever had."

The photo Julie is referring to is a snap of her at a family barbecue. "I was astounded as to how much I had let myself go," she says. "I was disgusted with it."

With the support of her family and husband of 16 years, Tony, Julie began to take action. It started with a daily 1,400 calorie limit and walking 10,000 steps.

She then joined a Sandwell Leisure Trust gym at Tipton Leisure Centre. She says: "I had tried various diets before and lost a couple of stone, but the gym exercise and fitness classes have really made the difference this time and changed my life.

"Honestly, if I can make anyone else out there think anything, it's to consider joining a gym. Start slow and build up.

"I cannot be more grateful to the staff at Tipton Leisure Centre, especially instructor Samantha Murray, who took me under her wing, as they encourage and push me all the time, keep me on the straight and narrow, but most importantly, have made me feel like I belong there. They have helped me to believe that I can do anything I want to do."

And one of the things Julie wants to do is run the Birmingham Great Run half marathon in October.

"Learning to run has been a revelation too, because cross-country at school was torture and as soon as the world became accessible by car I never walked anywhere, so I was totally surprised at the pleasure and sense of wellbeing you get from running on a treadmill.

"Plus, the camaraderie you get from those uncomfortable smiles at the person on the next machine, who is just as hot and tired as you are, really makes you stick at it. Then, in May this year, I managed a local 5K race for Cancer Relief with my sister Sarah – following a training programme set up for me by Sam's colleague Dan Simpson – and I still struggle to get my head around the fact that I completed it and didn't stop once. The world has shrunk since I started to run and everything is closer and I absolutely love it."

Exercise is one thing, but the food side of things is still a challenge. Julie's personal trainer Sam says: "I've encouraged Julie to open up to me more and review her diet, because she still has challenges with food and doesn't intake many vitamins or protein.

"For her to continue losing weight, or even just maintain good health, she needs to mentally battle food. Julie still fears if she buys a normal shop she could still eat the lot in one sitting, so she plans meals day-by-day and her exercise and fitness regime complements this and really helps her diet."

Now, 10 stone lighter, Julie can enjoy the little things in life – like getting a bath towel completely around her, painting her toe nails or sitting in car passenger seats without worrying that the seat belt won't fit. But that's not the end of her story – she wants to continue pushing herself.

"My overall target was losing half of my old weight, as I reckon, with my body shape, around 12-and-a-half-stone and a dress size of 12-14 is realistic, so I'm well on the way to that and just know I'm going to succeed. But in my experience you also need help, guidance and support like I get from the Tipton team, so don't be afraid to ask for it.

"The external improvements are there for all to see, however the changes I have made to me inside are the ones I am most proud of. I told myself that I wanted to lose the weight more than I wanted cream cakes and fish and chips and the feeling of euphoria I get from gradually getting smaller is second to none – absolutely beyond words."

Well done, Julie. Keep up the great work!