I lost 9 stone to feel confident on my wedding day - now I'm healthier than ever

A bride lost half her body weight for her wedding day by 'eating less and moving more' and said her guests were 'shocked' by her transformation - but is now 'not bothered about the number on the scales' and is focused on feeling 'healthy and strong'.

Samantha Wannop, 36, from Lancaster, Lancashire, previously weighed 19st 7lbs and wore a size 18.

She said she was 'in denial' in her twenties when she developed unhealthy eating habits, including indulging in big portions and drinking alcohol , and was not getting any exercise in.

She would binge on takeaway pizzas after nights out drinking and began to pile on the pounds as a result.

When Samantha got engaged to her partner, Joe Wonopp, 37, a dairy farmer, she was determined to slim down for their big day.

By changing her portion sizes and taking up cardio exercise, she managed to lose more than nine stone - the equivalent of half her body weight.

Now, Samantha feels 'better than ever', and didn't mind all eyes on her during the couple's nuptials in November 2017 - after dropping an impressive five dress sizes and nine and a half stone.

She can now slip into a slender size ten with ease and now tips the scales at ten and a half stone.

Samantha, who works in local government, said: 'I put it off for a really long time, I think I was in denial.'

The 36-year-old continued: 'I always thought it wasn't that bad, and I hadn't got that big.

'But it started to become difficult to find clothes in my size, and I felt really uncomfortable.

'Once I made changes to my lifestyle and saw the weight dropping off, it was easy to stick to.

'It was liberating to be able to pick whatever wedding dress I wanted [because] for a long time my clothing choices were restricted.'

Samantha initially decided to start losing weight for her best friend Dom's wedding in Cyprus in July 2012.

Then aged 24, Samantha managed to lose five stone for her friend's big day but was still unhappy with her weight.

She said: 'I remember speaking to my friends, and I said I needed to do something to lose weight.

'People kept telling me that I looked great. Looking back now I don't know why no one told me that I needed to lose some weight.

'I did manage to lose a fair bit of weight before my friend's wedding, and I did feel better.

'But I still wasn't completely comfortable, and I had a long way to go.'

When Samantha got engaged in January 2017, she was determined to feel confident when it was her turn to say ''I do''.'

She was already a member at Fitness Formation Gym, Lancaster, but decided to up her workout regime ahead of her big day.

Samantha explained: 'I started working with a personal trainer and went to the gym every single day.

'I loved it, [and] at the time I didn't have kids so could go at 6am every day before work. It just became a part of my life.'

She added: 'It was mainly classes in the morning, and personal training in the evenings.'

Samantha and Joe got married on 25 November 2017, and the blushing bride had lost half her body weight.

She looked stunning in her size eight dress, after losing an impressive nine and a half stone.

Samantha said: 'It was an amazing day. It's the first time I've looked at photos and liked what I've seen. I felt confident on the day and I wasn't remotely self-conscious.'

Since her wedding, Samantha has managed to maintain her healthy lifestyle and has not fallen back into old habits.

She now encourages her two children, aged four and six, to eat well and exercise regularly.

Samantha said: 'My kids are learning good habits, [and] they've both been coming to the gym with me since they were babies.

'We're a very active family, we always go on bike rides and walks and the kids love it. I'm not bothered about the number on the scales now, I just want to feel healthy and strong.'