Marriage torn apart…

But now we’re really hot and heavy…

Wrapping my dressing gown over my PJS, I switched off the light and shot into bed. Then froze as my hubby Alistair, 32, snuggled up to me. ‘Not tonight, darling,’ I said. I’d been saying that for a year. Ali rolled away and started to snore, while I lay in the dark, eyes blurred with tears.

When we’d first met online in April 2007, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

And on our honeymoon in St Lucia, in March 2010, we were like teenagers.

I’d never been slim, though – at school, bullies called me Titanic.

With a mutual love of takeaways and pizzas, we’d both piled on weight.

It didn’t seem to affect Ali’s sex drive, though.

But a size-22 and 18st, I hated my body.

I cringed at the idea of my hubby touching me, seeing me naked.

‘I just feel disgusting,’ I told Ali the following day. ‘Do you still love me?’ he asked. ‘Of course,’ I promised. Truth was, we were more in love with takeaways than each other then. We kept things going for the sake of our daughter Sophie, 1. Had sex barely once a month. In October 2015, we took Sophie to Rhodes. Our first family holiday – it should’ve been happy, but all I could think about was how fat I looked. At home, Ali stopped cuddling me. He’d peck me on the cheek, then sleep in the spare room. By Sophie’s second birthday in April 2016, we were barely even talking. ‘I haven’t got anything to wear,’ I sobbed to my mum Joan, 62, before Sophie’s party. So Mum took me shopping and we found a top and leggings that hid my flabby tummy and huge thighs. I’d always been fun at parties, but as Sophie blew out her candles, I just wanted to hide away. I stood tugging my top down, holding back tears. I wasn’t the woman Ali married. ‘I’m sorry,’ I told him later that night. ‘If I could lose a bit of weight, I know I’d feel better.’ ‘I’ll support you,’ he told me. Friends had told me about the Cambridge Weight Plan, a meal-replacement programme. So, the next day, I signed up. I’d have low-fat porridges, shakes or bars for breakfast and lunch, then cook a healthy family meal in the evening. Chicken and vegetables. ‘Not bad,’ Ali said, tucking in. I laughed, knowing he was missing his takeaways but glad he was supporting me.

As the weeks went on, my weight dropped.

I also banned crisps, biscuits and chocolate – so Ali stopped snacking, too.

He joined a gym and I took classes in dance fitness.

Within a month, we had more energy and, suddenly, we had more to talk about than childcare or bills.

‘Don’t do it!’ I’d shout as he reached for a takeaway menu. We’d spur each other on. And, as we lost more weight, a bit of the old spark returned.

Evenings and weekends were hardest – so, instead of a takeout in front of the telly, we’d take Sophie for walks in her pram.

By July 2016, I’d lost three stone, down to a size-16.

I invited friends over for a barbecue and bought a new strappy top and denim shorts.

‘You look great!’ Ali grinned, wrapping his arms around me.

A few months ago I’d have flinched – but now, I kissed him hard on the mouth.

And, when he snuggled up to me in bed later that night, I didn’t push him away.

That summer, Ali went on sponsored runs and sent me a selfie at the finish line of one, smiling and looking muscly.

My heart skipped a beat.

My hubby was gorgeous!

From then on between the sheets...there was no stopping us!

And I think the increased bedroom activity helped us both to lose weight faster!

We started going out on date nights. I felt sexy in heels, which I was too bulky to wear before.

It was like falling in love all over again…

In September 2016, we went on holiday to Menorca.

Ali snapped a photo of me posing on the beach in a new swimsuit. ‘You look amazing!’ he said. As soon as Sophie was asleep, we’d have a drink on our hotel balcony...before rushing off to the bedroom!

‘I can’t believe a few months

I’ve never been more in love with my husband!

ago we were actually thinking about splitting up,’ I told him. ‘Me, neither,’ he replied. By August last year, we’d both reached our target weights – losing a whopping 14st between us.

Ali had gone down from 21½st to a toned 14½st, while I’d slimmed from 18½st to 11½st.

Now, a size-12, I’ve never felt more confident.

Even better, I’ve never been more in love with my husband.

Before, we were just plodding through life. Merely existing.

But now, by shedding the pounds together, our lives have been completely transformed.

We’ll never let anything come between us again.