EAST Yorkshire woman Scarlett Flintoff did not want to be a fat bride.
After losing more than 4st, she looks set to feature in a national television campaign, promoting healthy weight loss.
Scarlett, 26, of Brough, decided something needed to change when she could not bring herself to look for a wedding dress, despite her big day being months away.
She said: "I was reading through Closer magazine and saw an advert calling for women who were struggling to lose weight, which was perfect for me."
Scarlett put 5st on when she was pregnant with her little girl, Amelie, who is now three.
She said: "I have managed to shift 3st on my own but I have just been stuck in a rut with this last 2st and needed that extra help."
Scarlett was chosen, along with 12 other women, to take part in the magazine's joint campaign with XLS Medical, a herbal medicine that boosts weight loss.
She has already appeared in the national magazine and is now in with a chance of starring in the XLS national television campaign.
XLS set their final 12 the target of losing 2st in 12 weeks.
Now in week eight, Scarlett has lost 1st and 1lb , giving her four weeks to lose 13lb.
She said: "I already feel much fitter. I now eat breakfast and a healthy tea, as well as doing more exercise.
"I am able to do a lot more things with Amelie now."
Gone are the days of canteen and vending machine food, while studying for her degree in business and finance management.
"University is full of girls younger and skinnier than me and it really affected my confidence, but I feel I am slowly getting there now," said Scarlett.
Scarlett will marry partner Rikki on September 28 at the Holiday Inn on Hull Marina.
What's more, she has finally chosen and purchased her dream wedding dress, in a size 12.
Scarlett said: "The assistant showed the dress to me and I said to her I wouldn't be able to get it on, but I did and I cried.
"The staff all said how much it suited me and that I looked beautiful. I was still trying to push away their comments but for a split second I lapped it up.
"I am so excited for the wedding now."
Scarlett is keeping an online blog of her progress to try to inspire other women to lose weight in the run up to summer.
Visit www.xlsrealstories. com/ambassador/scarlet123 to find out more about Scarlett's journey.
