A CWMBRAN woman has encouraged people to get into a routine through lockdown in order to maintain positive physical and mental health.

Hannah Charlton, 27, said maintaining a routine through lockdown helped her on her way to losing five-and-a-half stone in less than 18 months.

Miss Charlton weighed 23st 11lbs in August 2019, and said she was inspired to make a change after struggling to find clothes she liked.

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“Finding the right outfit in your twenties is hard enough, but when you have only one shop in town that has only unflattering outfits in your size, you know it’s time to make a change,” she said.

“For me, lockdown was a good chance to form a routine and experiment with cooking.

“Our family dog gets an extra long walk every morning, I make myself a delicious cooked breakfast and I challenge myself to cook something new each week.

“Everything I am eating now is so much more satisfying and enjoyable. People think slimming means going hungry, yet it’s not like that at all with this healthy eating plan.

“This means I still enjoy all my favourite meals like curries, spag bols, pizza, burgers, chips and chicken dinners - I’ve just learned how to make small changes like eating lots of vegetables, using lean meat or cooking with low calorie spray instead of oil or butter.

“Thanks to the changes I’ve made, I am now able to throw away those unflattering outfits and treat myself to new and fashionable clothes.

“I used to hate clothes shopping, but now I love it.”

Ginny French. who runs the Woodland Road Sports and Social Centre Slimming World group which Miss Charlton attends, said: “The changes we’ve seen in Hannah are incredible, she really is an inspiration to everyone and has really focused on her journey whilst being in lockdown.

“She just goes to prove that even during a worldwide pandemic, it can be done.”