Dawn McIntyre from Callington joined her local Weight Watchers in January 1997 and since then has lost an incredible 91 pounds (6 stone 5lbs) to reach her goal weight. She went from a size 26 to a size 12, and said as a result: 'I feel absolutely fantastic.'
Dawn decided to lose weight for health reasons, due to there being heart problems in the family.
She met up with a school friend who had always been overweight but had shed a great deal of it. This spurred Dawn on to join Weight Watchers and lose the pounds herself.
Dawn's husband, Kevin, met her before she had lost the weight but is quite happy about it. Dawn's two children from her first marriage, Amanda, aged 10, and 14-year-old Jonathan, are very pleased with her slim look. Dawn said: 'I'm their 'New Mum' now and Amanda is always saying how she can give me a hug and reach right around me. Jonathan tells his teachers how much weight I've lost and they are quite impressed.'
Dawn explained: 'I gave myself a goal weight and the aim of reaching it before I turned 40. I reached my goal weight on November 18, 1999 and my 40th birthday was the day after.
Dawn still goes to Weight Watchers every week to encourage others and to maintain her goal weight.
Her leader at Weight Watchers, Jan Barnes, has supported her all the way through the two years of the 123 Success 2000 diet programme which Dawn found easy to follow as it allows you to add in the little treats which kept her going to achieve her dream figure.
Dawn has started buying a few new clothes to suit her svelte figure and has had her hairstyle changed as it no longer suited her. Dawn said: 'Small parts of my lifestyle have changed. I do a lot of walking nowadays, where as when I was at school I struggled to do any activity. If a ball is being kicked around I'll get up and join in now, where as before I wouldn't.'
Dawn's new leader at Weight Watchers is Sam Smith.