‘My huge arm was the size of my head’: Mum’s horror at her fat holiday snap made her ditch her 14-a-day chocolate bar habit to shed EIGHT STONE

IT was barely 10am and Charmaine Brooks was already devouring her fifth chocolate bar of the morning.

By the end of the day the mum-of-two had eaten nine more.

Charmaine was addicted to chocolate bars, and her 14-a-day habit was out of control.

Weighing 18st 13lbs, she was eating a staggering 4,000 chocolate bars a year at a cost of £3,500.

The full-time carer was unhappy being a size 26 but whenever she rolled her trolley down the chocolate aisle of the supermarket, the lure of a Dairy Milk, Crunchie, or Twirl was too strong to resist.

That was until an embarrassing holiday snap inspired her to lose 8st 3lbs.

Charmaine, 32, from Southampton says: “I was obsessed with chocolate. Whenever I had a spare moment I would grab a bar and wolf it down.

“But, while I was on holiday, someone took a picture of me and I was mortified.

“It was first time I had really looked at myself in years, and seeing how I looked and how fat my thighs were showed me my addiction had gone too far.

"After seeing the snap, I vowed to ditch the weight."

Charmaine had a sweet tooth from an early age.

Growing up, she lived with her grandparents, and they treated their granddaughter to a hot chocolate with every breakfast, as well as one before bed.

During her school years Charmaine fell into the habit of over-eating and by the age of 12 she was wearing size 16 clothes.

Several years later, she met her boyfriend Darren when she was 17.

5ft 4in Charmaine says her size has never been an issue with Darren, now 40.

She says: “Darren has never been fazed by my size. I think he just loves me for me."

The couple, of fifteen years, had two children together, Nathan, 13, and Aimee, 12.

Soon, Charmaine found herself at home most of the day, busy being a full-time mum for her children.

Charmaine ensured she always cooked nutritious meals for her kids, but the busy mum would frequently struggle to find the time to make healthy meals for herself.

Instead, she would snatch a couple bars of chocolate from the kitchen cupboard whenever she had a spare moment.

She says: “It wasn’t just your average bar either. I was prone to picking up family sized bars and devouring the whole thing myself.”

And one bar was never enough.

She would always eat at least two bars in a sitting.

As she made breakfast for the kids, Charmaine treated herself to a couple of bars of Diary Milk.

Finishing the morning’s washing up signalled another opportunity to eat two more.

By the time the kids were ready to be picked up from school, Charmaine had scoffed another six chocolate bars throughout the day.

And, in the evening, Charmaine and Darren would often snuggle up on the sofa with a selection of family-sized Galaxy bars.

Luckily, Darren was able to maintain a slim figure while Charmaine carried on piling on the pounds.

By 2009, Charmaine weighed 14st 7lbs.

Her constant snacking on chocolate bars had become an unshakable routine.

The only thing that changed was the amount she was eating.

That same year Darren, a self-employed roofer, struggled to find work due to the recession.

Nathan and Aimee were both diagnosed with autism, she became their full-time carer too.

With her partner's income in doubt, Charmaine developed depression, which was diagnosed in 2011.

She slept constantly and comfort ate to cope with the stressful circumstances.

Soon, she was eating 14 chocolate bars a day.

While Charmaine worked hard to cut the household budget, she always found money for food.

She was spending over £3,500 a year on her 14-a-day chocolate bar addiction.

She was also gorging on McDonald’s breakfasts, king-size pub lunches, and greasy takeaways.

By March 2014 her weight hit 18st 13lbs.

Charmaine lived in size 26 leggings and baggy cardigans, and always opted for a night on the sofa and a takeaway over a night out with Darren.

She says: “When I first met Darren, we were out every weekend having fun with our mates.

“But, the bigger I got, the more my confidence dropped.

“I continuously opted to stay in, desperate to hide my body.”

Charmaine’s self-esteem had plummeted so low that she avoided catching a glimpse of her reflection in mirrors and detested having her photo taken.

She says: “I absolutely hated the way I looked. I wouldn’t even wear make-up, as I knew there was nothing I could do to make myself look pretty due to my enormous body.

“I was miserable, but I just couldn't seem to shake my chocolate obsession.”

Looking for a way to take her mind off her weight, Charmaine booked a family camping holiday in Poole, Dorset in August 2014.

While Darren and their two children were eager to play on the beach, the real attraction for Charmaine was the all-inclusive buffets at the indoor clubhouse.

She says: “I loaded up my plate with bread, cheese and pasta, and my eyes lit up when I saw the large selection of chocolate bars.

“My weight had been getting me down, however I couldn’t resist pigging out on holiday, telling myself it was all a treat.”

Charmaine’s holiday bliss faded when Darren suggested they hire a buggy to explore the resort.

She says: “I was worried my size 26 frame wouldn’t fit in the seat.

“But the children were up for it and I didn’t want to be the one to spoil the fun.”

As Charmaine and her family peddled around the holiday resort, they were stopped by another holiday-maker who offered to take a picture.

Before Charmaine could say no, the picture had been taken.

Her mouth dropped when she saw the snap.

Charmaine recalls: “My thighs were spilling out of the sides of the buggy, and my huge arm was the same size as my head.

“I hadn’t looked at myself properly in years and I couldn’t believe I had ever let myself get that big.

“I remember turning to Darren and saying, with tears in my eyes, ‘I can’t believe I’m this fat!’”

Seeing the photograph was the inspiration Charmaine needed to change and she began researching diets the moment she returned home from holiday.

After picking the Cambridge Weight Plan - a low calorie diet, the next step for Charmaine was confronting her chocolate addiction.

Charmaine says: “I didn’t even recognise the person in the photograph, and I knew if I wanted to change I needed to ditch the chocolate bars.

“I emptied the cupboards of all the bars I’d bought for myself.”

Not wanting to punish Darren and the kids, who enjoyed chocolate in moderation, Charmaine saved a few bars for them from her cull.

She says: “I just had to use some serious willpower to leave it all alone.

“I stuck to a strict diet of healthy shakes and stocked up on fresh vegetables and chicken.”

Within weeks of beginning her diet, Charmaine lost a stone.

The quick success gave her the motivation to carry on.

Now, just under 18 months later, Charmaine has lost an impressive 8st 3lbs and weighs 10st 10lbs.

To maintain her new figure, Charmaine recently joined the gym and she can now enjoy shopping for fitted dresses in a size 10.

She says: "Giving up the chocolate bar addiction was hard, but being able to play with my children without gasping for breath every five seconds has made it all worth it.

“I now love going on nights out with Darren and our friends to posh restaurants, something I would never have dreamt of before.

“Looking back, I don’t know how I ate 4,000 chocolate bars a year.

“I feel attractive for the first time ever, and I’ll never let them rule my life again.”