Published: Thursday, 11th March, 2010 8:00am

Looking fab after dropping five dress sizes

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SUPER slimmer Angela Stretten has been crowned gym member of the year after shedding 10 stone in just 16 months.

When she first began attending the BodyWorks Gym at Bracknell Leisure Centre in October 2008, Angela weighed 25 stone and suffered from high blood pressure and asthma.

But with guidance from the fitness room staff and her own determination to succeed, Angela lost a third of her weight. She was rewarded for her efforts with a T-shirt and six months' free use of the gym

She said: "I found the staff lovely and very helpful. You don't often have to ask them for help as they are about to ask how you are getting on and seem interested."

Marc Rose, manager of the 1,500 member-gym, in Bagshot Road, said: "Angela is such an inspiration to us all in terms of what can be achieved if you put your mind to it - there was no doubt who should be awarded the title of BodyWorks Member of the Year." Angela, from Great Hollands, was determined to lose weight after learning that if she did not change she would not live long enough to see her grandchildren grow up.

She was referred to the Bracknell Forest Council-run gym through her GP under the council's Activate Health Scheme and now weighs 15 stone 1lb thanks to the exercise and cutting out large portions and high calorie foods.

Amy Lee, a weight management dietitian from Berkshire East Primary Care Trust, who has been helping Angela, said: "Angela has dropped more than five dress sizes and she looks fantastic! Her successful weight loss is a great inspiration to others out there who are also trying to lose weight and proves it can be done."

Cllr Iain McCracken, executive member for leisure, said: "Bracknell Leisure Centre is able to help people achieve fantastic health results as well as weight loss and improved fitness - Angela's story just shows how successful these results can be."