Slimmer of The Year Harriet Jenkins, 25, from Southampton, beside a cardboard cutout of her old self and a pair of her super-sized jeans during photocall at The Ritz hotel in central London today
She had always dreamed of becoming a teacher. But weighing more than 26st and wearing size 30 clothes, Harriet Jenkins knew she would be taunted by pupils.
The unemployed graduate was regularly jeered at in the street and lectured by strangers in restaurants.
She was determined not to resort to surgery to change her shape, so when a friend invited her to a slimming group, she decided to accept.
Only 18 months later, the 25-year-old had lost more than half her body weight, dropped ten dress sizes and won the primary school teaching job she had always wanted.
Yesterday Miss Jenkins, who is 5ft 8in tall and now a slender size ten and 11st 7lb, was named Slimming World’s Woman of the Year.
Miss Jenkins, who at her heaviest tipped the scales at 26st 7.5lbs, lost the pounds over 18 months through healthy eating and exercise and without the aid of a gastric band or bypass.
She said: 'My life's completely different now and I've achieved things I thought I never would, like getting my dream job as a teacher.
'But it's not just because I look different and weigh less, it's also because I'm more confident and finally happy with who I am.
'I'm so proud of myself for taking control of my life and I don't think I'd feel the same way if I'd had an operation that forced me to change.'
She added: 'I want people to know that even if you've got a huge amount of weight to lose, having gastric surgery isn't the only answer.
'Eighteen months ago I weighed more than 26.5st. I was unemployed, people yelled abuse at me in the street and my family were worried I was heading for an early grave.
'Now, I've lost more than half my body weight and I believe nothing's impossible. I want to share this feeling with as many people as I can.'
Taste the difference: Harriet cut out sugary snacks and switched to fresh fruit and vegetables to achieve her remarkable fifteen stone weight loss
Miss Jenkins, from Southampton, was overweight from childhood, but put on the pounds after her dad John was diagnosed with a fatal liver disease in July 2002.
She said: 'I would sit by his hospital bed with a big bar of chocolate and then go home and eat some more. I was in the middle of my A-Levels and I didn't cope well, I turned to food rather than dealing with my emotions.'
When her father died in Spring 2003, her comfort eating continued and by the age of 18 she weighed more than 18st.
She went to Nottingham University to study French, but kept herself to herself.
'It wasn't your typical 18-year-old's experience of university. I'd watch TV in my room with a takeaway and a bottle of wine.'
By the time she finished her studies in 2008, Miss Jenkins was a size 30 and struggled to find smart clothes to fit for job interviews.
Harriet's weight problem was caused - at least in part - by 'comfort eating' following the death of her father
She settled for a job in a call centre, where boredom and depression saw her eating endless sweets and chocolate at her desk.
It was a friend who set her on the weight loss path by inviting her to a Slimming World group, where she discovered she was 6st more than she thought after years of avoiding the scales.
She said: 'I think I'd been in denial about my size for a long time. I was disgusted but the consultant wasn't, she didn't judge me and I didn't have to tell anyone else what I weighed which was a huge relief.'
Miss Jenkins began following the club's Food Optimising eating plan, swapping her diet of ready meals, fast food and chocolate for healthy, home-cooked meals with fresh meat, fish and fruit and vegetables.
And she swapped her usual breakfast of two sausage rolls and two doughnuts for Weetabix with a banana and fat-free yoghurt.
She lost 8lbs in her first week and within a month she had dropped 1.5st and two dress sizes.
Harriet pictured with a friend before she embarked on her diet. At her heaviest she weighed more than 26st
She said: 'For the first time I was in control of what I was eating, I could say 'no' and enjoy treats in moderation like the odd chocolate bar or a few vodka and diet cokes on nights out.'
Miss Jenkins has since completed her teacher training and started a teaching job with her own class of nine and ten-year-olds.
Once she started to lose weight she began to exercise, taking short walks at first, before joining a gym and now she runs regularly.
Last month she ran the Great South Run in her dad's memory for child bereavement charity Simon Says.
Miss Jenkins, who now weighs a svelte 11st 7.5lb for her 5ft 8ins frame said: 'The best thing about losing weight has probably been discovering who I am - and finding that I really like myself.
'I used to avoid crowds because I felt I was in the way, but at Slimming World I've never felt like that. If I was ever down or feeling despondent about my weight the other members made me realise I wasn't worthless.
'As my confidence grew I started going out with my friends more. But the greatest achievement was standing up in front of a class of children.
‘I’m so proud of myself for taking control of my life and I don’t think I’d feel the same way if I’d had an operation that forced me to change.’
Source:Dailymail