Connie Holloway, 47, is a childcare practitioner. She’s 5ft 8in and lives in Abercwmboi, south Wales, with her husband Paul and her three children.

I was constantly miserable about my size during my 20s. Desperate to be thin, I ended up taking speed in a bid to kill my appetite.

I was born in America and joined the military at 18, when I was 10st and a size 12.

I was in great shape, but obsessed about being thinner because I was surrounded by fit people.

I married at 19 when I was 8.5st, but five years and two kids later, we split up.

I barely ate and took slimming pills before turning to illegal amphetamines.

Although I got down to 8st, I felt the drugs were making me lose control.

Afraid of the effect on my children, I gave them up.

As soon as I stopped, the weight crept back on.

I was 11st when I married again at 28, but after seven years and one child, that marriage ended too – again I blamed my ‘imperfect’ body.

Then, at 40, I realised how much energy I’d wasted worrying about my weight.

I’m now 16st (a size 22). My husband Paul, 43, adores my curves – and so do I.

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‘I LOVE MY CURVES’

Was: 9st/size 10
Now: 11st/size 14

Emma Potter, 26, is a PR consultant. She’s 5ft 6in and lives in London with her boyfriend.

I used to be a classic yo-yo dieter, veering wildly from a size 10 to a size 18, but I never felt happy. At 18 – when I was around a size 12– I went travelling in Australia during my gap year and my weight dropped to 9st.

When I look at pictures taken then, I realise I was too thin. It just doesn’t look like me in those size 10 clothes.

At university, I put weight back on because of all the snacking I did.

By 25 I was a size 18 weighing 14st.

I can’t look at photos because of my fat face.

I was deeply depressed but couldn’t rouse myself to do anything about it.

It was only after going for a job interview last summer that I knew I had to break the cycle – I was meant to be a dynamic young professional.

When I was offered the job,I vowed to lose weight and eat healthily rather than going on a fad diet.

At just over 11st and a size 14, I finally feel happy with my body – it feels right for me to be curvy.

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'I'M THE SIZE I WAS MEANT TO BE'

Was: 14.5st/size 20
Now: 9st/size 8

Claire Falconer, 29, is an actress. She’s 5ft 6in, single and lives in Middlesex.

When I started college at 19, I weighed 10st and was a size 12 but I was soon gorging on junk food and the weight piled on.

My bad eating habits continued and by the age of 24, I was 14.5st and a size 20.

The waistband on my trousers dug into my stomach, and my thighs rubbed together.

I couldn’t look at my naked body in the mirror, and KFC and ice cream were the only things that made me happy.

The turning point came at a party when a friend finally blurted it out – I was too fat.

I bought an exercise bike, banned junk food and started cycling for 90 minutes every day.

I got down to 9st and wore a size 8 bikini for the first time.

Three years on, I feel no pressure to maintain my figure – I’m the size I was meant to be.

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Photography: Lancton, Rex. Hair & make-up: Soula Henderson. Styling: Nana Acheampong