A Scottish mum has shared how she was able to lose 13 stone after seeing herself in a picture with the Proclaimers.
Nichola Maclean, 45, made the decision to change her lifestyle after being shocked at the snap she had got with her Edinburgh idols back in 2018.
A superfan of the Leith brothers, Nichola had been lucky enough to get a picture after a gig in Oban, but had been left embarrassed at how she looked in it.
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Speaking about her incredible weight loss, the mum-of-two said her lifestyle working in a burger van had caused her size to slowly grow, weighing around 27 stone at her heaviest.
Due to her height of 6ft3, Nichola told the Record she wasn't fully aware of how much weight she had put on.
She said: "By that point I weighed 27 stone and wore a size 24, I didn't realise before, but looking at the photo I knew I was huge.
"Because of my height, I thought maybe I hid it well.
"That photo was the wake-up call I needed to make a change."
Working around 70-hours each week in the van, a combination of both eating there and a lack of exercise saw Nichola gain weight, as well as becoming exhausted and lethargic.
Also suffering from headaches, the Perthshire mum saw a doctor diagnose her with dangerously high blood pressure.
Her brother-in-law Billy had died of an undiagnosed heart condition at just 52 and the health check scare forced her to take action.
Nichola continued: "I knew my health was precious and I had to do something."
Inspired by her favourite crooners, Nichola planned to walk 500 miles from Tyndrum to John O'Groats and back in a bid to lose weight and raise money for charity.
But to prepare for the lengthy hike she had to embark on a huge health kick.
She began eating healthy meals with smaller portions, cutting out takeaways and threw herself into a new fitness regime.
In three years she dropped four dress sizes and shed a whopping 13 stone.
Nichola said: "Changing my diet and exercise basically meant I had to overhaul my entire life.
"It was emotionally and physically exhausting, a real battle. But it was a battle worth fighting."
She will now begin her 500-mile mission across Scotland this weekend by walking 20 miles per day over four weeks and plans to stay with friends along the way.
And she'll not be without support, with two very special people among those backing Nichola to take on her mammoth effort - the Proclaimers themselves.
She added: "Craig and Charlie have been amazing.
"They let me use their song lyrics for the logo on our charity t-shirts. I held a whisky auction before setting off and they signed a couple of bottles.
"And of course I've been listening to their music along the way, my favourite song is Love Can Move Mountains.
"From that first photo with them to their unwavering support they really have inspired me."
Nichola is raising money for four charities; Argyll Beats Cardiovascular Disease (A.B.C.D), Scottish Charity Air Ambulance (S.C.A.A), Worldwide Cancer Research and 500 Miles, who help those with mobility issues.
She chose A.B.C.D in memory of her brother Billy while 500 Miles is also close to her heart.
Head to Nichola's official JustGiving page to donate.
