Chocaholic who ate ELEVEN THOUSAND calories of chocolate each week kicks addiction to Snickers and Mars bars to lose five stone

• Tracey Burton ate 5 or 6 chocolate bars a day, adding up to 1,500 calories
• Each week this was over 11,000 kcal and her weight rose to 15 stone
• Inspired to change her diet when her partner had a health scare
• Ditched the chocolate and joined Weight Watchers to lose five stone
  

By Katy Winter

PUBLISHED: 06:29 EST, 30 May 2013 | UPDATED: 06:29 EST, 30 May 2013

A self-confessed chocoholic who ate eleven thousand calories in chocolate bars alone each week has ditched her chocolate habit and managed to lose an impressive five stone.

Tracey Burton, from Leek, Staffs, ate at least five chocolate bars a night - which is the equivalent of over 1,500 calories in just one sitting.

The 42-year-old's love of Snickers and Mars bars saw her pile on the pounds, and she was soon left weighing almost 15 stone.

Tracey lost five stone by ditching her daily chocolate habit and joining Weight Watchers

Tracey ate at least five chocolate bars every day, which at around 1500 additional calories, added up to a huge 11,000 calories each week

But now Tracey has turned her back on the sweet stuff, and has managed to lose five stone - and has even begun training to become weight loss leader herself.

Tracey said: 'Whenever I was having a bad day or I was feeling stressed, I'd just turn to chocolate.

'I would eat five or six chocolate bars in one sitting and would probably happily carry on if I didn't force myself to stop.

The 42-year-olds love of Snickers and Mars Bars saw her pile on the pounds, and she was soon left weighing almost 15 stone

Tracey says her partners health scare was the prompt she needed to change her diet and lose the weight

'If I was feeling down I knew it would just make me feel a little better - it was typical comfort eating.

'Now I wouldn't dream of eating that amount. I still love chocolate but I have it in moderation. I understand the consequences.

'I can't believe the difference in myself now - eating healthily just comes naturally and I go walking and running a lot too.

'It's not until I look back that I realise how far I had come. I can't believe it.'

Tracey had struggled with her size since being a teenager, and despite dieting before had never managed to shift the weight.

Tracey lost the weight at a healthy rate, losing about 2lbs a week, but she soon saw it making a huge difference

Tracey said: 'I've been a yo-yo dieter since I was 16 and I had always promised myself that I would lose weight by the time I was 40.

'But my 40th came and went and I was still a size 20.

'It was the portion size that I couldn't control - I'd eat the same amount of food as my partner.

'I hated going shopping and trying on clothes because I knew nothing would ever fit.

'I'd stand looking at myself in the changing rooms feeling disgusting.

'But then I'd just leave the shop and go and console myself with a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate.'

It was only when Tracey's partner, Roger Pickford, suffered a major health scare that Tracey decided to do something about her weight.

Although she has binned her chocolate habit, Tracey does still allow herself some, just in moderation

'When Roger became ill it made me realise how precious life was.

'I didn't want to waste mine by over eating and suddenly I just jolted into action.

'It was then that I realised I needed to do something about my weight and actually stick to a diet for once.

'I actually wanted to lose weight this time - unless you're in the right frame of mind it won't work.

'I decided I would chuck the chocolate and change my ways. It's weird how it just clicked.'

Tracey joined Weight Watchers shortly afterwards and hasn't looked back since.

'I'd tried dieting in the past but I was never really prepared to stick to it properly.

'But this time I was determined.

'Everyone was so supportive and encouraging. I began loosing about 2lbs a week and before I knew it I was getting thinner and thinner.

'Then someone took a picture of me at one of the meetings and it hit me - I'd done it. I looked at the picture and I just cried. I didn't realise how far I'd come.

'I look back at pictures of myself now and I can't really believe how big I was. It was by no means easy to do it, but I want people to know that you can.'

Tracey and Roger have since got engaged, and Tracey is now looking forward to showing off the new and improved her at the wedding.

'I'm thrilled to be getting married to such an amazing man - Roger is so proud of me and I'm so excited to walk down the aisle feeling happy and confident about myself.

'I'm so excited to become his wife.'

Tracey also hopes to pass on tricks and tips to fellow slimmers as she trains to become a Weight Watchers leader.

She added: 'I want to be able to help people like me to get in shape.

'If I can be an inspiration to just one person then it will all be worth it.'