The owners of Jacey’s Cafe in Ipswich have swapped cakes and chips for trainers and long walks as they drop seven dress sizes between them.
Jackie and Amy, who are mother and daughter, have shared their tips on how to shed the pounds after they managed to achieve their weight loss goals despite being surrounded by temptation.
The pair, who run Jacey’s Cafe, dish up delicious treats all day for their customers but found themselves overindulging.
Amy Sheldrake, who is 31, said: “I noticed my size 16s were starting to get tight and I was reaching size 18 and that’s what got me - I didn’t want to have to buy size 18 clothes.
“I was getting bigger and out of breath. My gran was a big lady and I have just never wanted to get that big.”
At her biggest, Amy weighed 13.5 stone but managed to lose a stone a month to get to her target weight of 10.5 stone.
The slim size 10 has now managed to keep the weight off for an impressive nine months - but how did she achieve this while being surrounded by treats?
She said: “To begin with I was putting a chip in my mouth and then spitting it out again just so I could get the taste.
“I then started bringing in strawberries and raspberries to pick at instead.
“Sweets and chocolate have always been my weak point so I knew I needed to find something sweet to replace that.
“So the fruit and the occasional yoghurt is what I go to now.
“Me and mum also snack on Slimming World hi-fi bars but we put them in the fridge so they take longer to eat.”
As well as trading in their snacks the duo have adopted an exercise regime and are preparing to take on a 200 mile hike.
Jackie Williams, who is 60, said: “Slimming world encourages a process called body magic which is a combination of dieting and staying active.
“You need to do both rather than just one. Whether that is walking, sports or just leaving the car at home more.
“Me and Amy walk at least five miles every day, but this is increasing as we prepare to take on the coast to coast walk to raise money for St Elizabeth Hospice.
“We both needed an incentive to keep walking and not put the weight back on.”
Jackie, who weighed 12.4 stone, also shed three stone to reach her goal weight of 9.4 stone.
She said: “I begun by chewing gum as it stopped me from picking at food.
“The biggest help for both of us I think is doing it together, we both encourage each other.
“Amy is also good at hitting my hand away when I think about going for something unhealthy.
“We pick a lot healthier options now, have more fruit and vegetables and have changed the way we do things.”
As a result of the exercise increase and the weight decrease the duo feel so much healthier.
Amy explained: “At work we have steep stairs to run up all day and each time I did it I would be so out of breath but now I can do it and I am fine.
“Its amazing to see how much I can do now compared to what I could before I lost the weight.
“Keep persevering even through harder times, keep on it even if you don’t lose weight that week.”
Jackie added: “I feel so much better in myself I was really sluggish and also got out of breath easily.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here