Kelly Roberts loved playing football from the tender age of ten. But by her late 20s, she began struggling to last the full 90 minutes for her local team.
It was a bitter blow for Kelly who has a huge passion for the beautiful game. And among the reasons she decided to take action and address the weight issue which was bringing her down.
A primary school teacher who lives in Essex with her fiancee Billy Bulmer, Kelly plays for Hutton Ladies in Brentwood. Weighing 14st 10lb at her heaviest, she started to notice she was "always the biggest" on the pitch.
"It felt like all of I sudden I just got big and I couldn't do 90 mins of football," she said. "I've always played 90 minutes but for the last ten minutes I was finding it really hard.
"My boobs were so big they were clapping. I was running and I could hear them bouncing together. They were clapping for me that's the only way I can describe it.
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"I was sprinting and feeling like I was having a heart attack and that was so difficult because I had always been a footballer. I started getting subbed and thought, 'That's not me.'"
A size 12 in trousers and skirts and 18-20 for tops, Kelly's bra size was a back-breaking 36HH. Her mum was a fitting bra consultant at Debenhams until being made redundant and would try to help Kelly in her quest to find comfortable bras.
Kelly recalled: "I was getting all sore underneath them and was having spending about £40 to £50 for a bra that fit. I just wanted to feel nice and look nice.
"My mum would tell you, 'I hate going shopping with Kelly because she stresses me out'. Even she said, 'Kelly we've got to the point where we're not going to be able to get you any bras.'
"I wasn't getting any younger and I was unhappy with the way I looked. Every time I was going out for dinner I would throw a strop."
As it runs in the family, Kelly also feared being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She'd tried every diet and attempted the Slimming World several times before.
But this time, she meant business. Kelly returned to Slimming World at Tyrells Hall Club in January 2020 and made huge changes to her lifestyle. She started the couch to 5k app and cooked her own food, still enjoying her favourite meals like spaghetti bolognese and fry-ups but using healthier ingredients.
"I think for me, this time it just clicked. I think you've got to be in the right mindset to start dieting differently," she said.
"You find things that work for you. I would have five cups of tea a day with sugar in it - I don't have sugar in my tea anymore.
"My other half can't believe how much syn-free food you can eat. I'm not a massive syn user because I like the free foods. I absolutely adore chocolate so if I do have syns, I'll will have a Freddo or a Curly Wurly."
Kelly, 30, now hovers around 10st 5lb and is a trim 8 in trousers and skirts and a 10 on top. And she's dropped to a 32FF bra size. She runs four times a week and loves walking and workouts, as well as her beloved football.
"I feel so much better," she said. "When you get to target you feel like you've worked so hard you don't want to return that way.
"It's a complete lifestyle change and it's given me a whole new lease of playing football. I've turned 30 and I've still got it. By now If I hadn't lost the weight I think I would have given up but I'm back in the game!"
Slimming World has an activity programmecalled Body Magic which helps people become more active at their own pace. To find out more about Slimming World and how to join, click here or here for Ireland. Alternatively, call 0344 897 8000 or 01 656 9696.
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