A GLASGOW woman says she has been able to stop using her asthma inhaler and can run 10k comfortably after going from a 20 dress size to a trim 10.

At her heaviest, Jacqueline Church, 39, from Toryglen, tipped the scales at just over 16 stones.

She told of her “embarrassment” that while on a visit to Madam Tussauds in London she had to leave the tourist attraction because she was “too hot and breathless”.

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She says being told by a doctor her weight was endangering her health, after she was hospitalised for a week for a severe asthma attack, was the wake-up call for her to take stock of her health.

She says she was also suffering from “crippling heartburn” due to an unhealthy diet.

Jacqueline is now a healthier 10stone 10lbs after being referred to WW (formerly Weight Watchers) by her GP.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was one of the first health boards to give patients free access to slimming club sessions, which include group work and mentoring.

Jacqueline said: “I got a big fright after a visit to the clinic where I was told my weight was endangering my health.

“I suffered a major asthma attack which put me in the hospital and I was on oxygen for a week.

“My blood pressure was going the wrong way ... up. I thought I was too young and fit for anything like that to happen to me, but here I was being put on strong steroids and advised not to exercise normally until my breathing was under control.

“I had a low mood, and this led to me adopting unhealthy habits and my mobility suffered, and I couldn’t sleep due to the cough I now had.

“I also remember I was visiting Madame Tussauds and had to leave as I was getting too hot and breathless, but it was my weight that caused this ... how embarrassing.”

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Jacqueline said a “blunt” conversation about her health with a GP led her to sign up for her local weight-loss club at Daisy Street Community Centre in Govanhill.

She recalled: “As you can imagine, I was not looking forward to attending my first workshop.

“I was scared and I spent all of it fighting back the tears.

“But it became clear that everybody in the workshop was there to lift you up and celebrate your successes.”

After a few months on the calorie-controlled eating plan Jacqueline says she felt confident enough to join a gym and now exercises daily.

She said: “My personal trainer has challenged and pushed me each session to build not only muscles, but self-esteem.

“My partner Scott has supported me throughout every part of the journey and has even managed to lose five stones too. His faith, support and cooking are a huge reason why I reached my goal weight, and he lost weight too.

“This is a lifestyle change that is sustainable because it’s not about giving up your favourite foods, but finding ways to build healthy habits.

“I can still eat out with family and friends but now I make choices before I eat in restaurants that means I can still enjoy the foods I love.

“I just check the smart points on my app, and I’m sorted, and able to stay on track.

“I used to wear a massive size 20 but now love shopping for a smaller size 10.

“I used to eat all the wrong foods, like lots of toast and butter, sugary cereals, pizza and chips, shop-bought meals and sandwiches, but WW has taught me to eat more but of the right foods.

“My daily foods now include Weetabix and fruit, salmon, freshly made curries and pasta with chicken. I tend to now eat three meals a day, whereas I never did that before.”

Jacqueline’s advice to others struggling to stick to a weight-loss plan is to persevere with the weekly workshops “even if you have had a tricky week”.

She added: “I now have lots of confidence to look at myself in the mirror, and it feels amazing to have my health back.”