A MUM who struggled with her weight after her baby was born prematurely has been crowned Woman of the Year at her Slimming World group.

Gemma Foulkes walked through the doors of the Wivenhoe Slimming World group last January.

After following the advice given, she lost five stone and hit her target in just 31 weeks.

Gemma’s weight loss journey started after the birth of her son, Connor, who was born in April 2018.

She said: “Both mentally and physically I had a tough start to being a mum.

“Connor was delivered very quickly, two weeks early by emergency Caesarian section.

“It wasn’t in pregnancy that I piled on the most pounds, it was after Connor was born.

“I would reward myself for getting through another sleepless night and tough day by binge eating sugary foods in vast quantities.”

That Christmas, after being photographed at her baby group, Gemma realised she hated how she looked so much that she refused to be in another photo.

She said: “I therefore have no photos of me and Connor together on his first Christmas which is something I hugely regret.

“At the end of 2018, I was encouraged by friends, who knew I wanted to lose weight, to join Slimming World.

“I was very reluctant, I really didn’t think it was for me.

“The first time I stood on those scales I burst into tears.

“My consultant gave me a big hug, I knew it was time to change.

“It was now or never.”

Gemma started planning her meals for the week and it is something she has continued to do ever since.

In her first week on the programme she lost five pounds.

She said: “My motivation was I just wanted to be healthy both in body and mind for my son.

“I don’t want to have any regrets later in life because I didn’t take action.

“I have dropped four dress sizes and I am fitting into a size 10 for the first time in nearly 20 years.”

She added: “This Christmas I made sure I was in lots of pictures with Connor.”

Gemma’s body mass index has also moved out of the obese range.

On the same night she hit her target weight she was crowned Woman of the Year 2019 at her Slimming World group.