Miss Slinky 2011 Dropped Six Dress Sizes to Save Heart

A woman who was bullied at school for being overweight has been named Miss Slinky 2011 after losing 8st and dropping six dress sizes in just over a year.

Dominique Bellas, 26, was teased about her size from the age of 10 and weighed more than 19st by August 2009.

She was even mistaken for being pregnant while at her heaviest.

The council worker said she was spurred on to start slimming after her brother was diagnosed with the heart condition left ventricular cardiomyopathy.

The aspiring model and actress was warned by doctors she may also have the disease.

Miss Bellas, of Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, said: ‘I knew that being overweight was putting extra strain on my heart so I had to do something about it.

‘I’d been in denial for so long and it was time to face up to it. On the outside I was confident - perhaps over confident - and always making jokes, but I think that was just my way of hiding the fact that my weight was making me really unhappy.’

Before she joined Slimming World in September 2009, Miss Bellas said her normal diet included peanut butter on toast and a banana for breakfast, two rounds of sandwiches for lunch and creamy pasta dishes or takeaways for dinner.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1350055/Miss-Slinky-2011-Dominique-Bellas-dropped-6-dress-sizes.html#ixzz1BykNDdoL