A SPARCELLS mum who cut back on food after a friend was diagnosed with cancer has lost a third of her bodyweight

Mum-of-one Natalie Forty learned that her best friend had been told she had cancer last year. Two weeks later, the friend passed away.

“It was devastating,” said Natalie. “We all feel like life is a given.”

After reading up about cancer, Natalie was left convinced she needed to lose weight in order to reduce the risk of the disease. She joined Weight Watchers in January.

Starting the year at 16 stone 7lbs, Natalie managed to lose weight every week. In 10 months she dropped over five stone – a third of her bodyweight – to reach her target weight of 11 stone.

Charity fundraiser Natalie, 30, walked 10,000 steps a day in June in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Natalie, who spent all of her 20s overweight, said that she enjoyed being able to eat whatever she wanted through Weight Watchers. She attends the Haydon Wick Weight Watchers group.

She said: “I can pre-plan my meals and if I'm going out for a meal Weight Watchers have plenty of material to help me choose what I'm going to have before I go, point it before hand and then no one amongst the party knows you’re adjusting your eating habits.

"I feel really good. I haven't been the weight I am now since I was 18-years-old. I feel like I was when I moved out of my parents' home."