I lost 7 stone...AND MY FRIENDS!

When Carol Evans dropped a few stone, not everyone was happy for her

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Looking back at the stages of my life, from childhood all the way to today as a 56-year-old mum and wife, I remember the people - the family and friends - who have been there during the hard times and championed me in my successes. But I've learnt that not everyone stays in our lives, and through the ups and downs we can lose some of our most meaningful relationships. I should know, as I experienced just that as I took on one of the biggest challenges of my life - the battle with my weight.

Contrary to what you might imagine, I didn't struggle with my weight growing up, taking tap and ballet from the age of six for over a decade. Eventually, I hung up my dancing shoes as I began a career in business and management.

In 1996, aged 28, I married John, then 40, and three years later I had our son, Ben. After returning to work, the pregnancy weight fell off me and I was soon 11st and a size 12 - healthy for my 5ft 5in height.

But juggling a demanding career with motherhood and family life wasn't easy. At night, I'd grind my teeth due to stress. It was 2009 that things began to change. By then, Ben was 10 and I'd started my own consultancy business. Working long hours behind a computer screen at home, I spent most of the day sedentary. The weight gain happened so gradually - over nine years - so I didn't notice straight away.