Best – Thanks Sharon for my perfect Christmas body !

Settling down with a bag of chips, I switched on my TV for my Saturday fix of The X Factor.

As the crowd cheered, I gazed at my idol, Sharon Osbourne. She looked so glam and so confident. ‘The opposite of me,’ I thought, as I looked down at my huge, flabby stomach.

Once I’d been so proud of my figure. As 19, I was a slim size 8, even though at 17 I’d given birth to my daughter Stephanie.

Then at 23 I met Tony, and a year later I gave birth to our son Bradley. But afterwards I suffered postnatal depression. My doctor prescribed antidepressants, but the only thing that really seemed to give me comfort was food.

I wolfed down sandwiches and takeaways. But the time I was 30, I was a size 24. At just 5ft 3in I weight 16st. My waist measured 50in and my legs were raw from rubbing together.

I’d tried all sorts of diets but I had no willpower, and the more weight I piled on, the more I ate.

“It’s not that bad, love,” Tony would tell me kindly. But I knew I was repulsive. I lived in a huge nightie, never wore make-up and barely left the house.

Instead I’d watch TV for hours on end. I loved shows like Big Brother and The X Factor, and particularly adored Sharon Osbourne – She was feisty, clever and a great role model.

Then, in March 2006, looking for something to read on a weekend away, I spotted Sharon Osbourne’s autobiography…

I was soon engrossed. Sharon had once weight over 16st and lost her confidence, just like me. But she’d done something about it by having a gastric band fitted to srink her stomach.

That was it. I didn’t want to be a miserable fat girl any more. I wanted to be like Sharon.

I found the number of a weight-loss clinic, SurgiCare, near my home in Manchester, and arrange a consultation.

“You’re morbidly obese,” the consultant told me. “Unless you lose weight, you won’t see your children grow up.”

Tears of self-loathing pricked my eyes. How could I have let things get so bad?

I decided to have a gastric bypass, which limits how much you can eat and how many calories the body absorbs. It cost £8200 – almost all my savings – but that didn’t bother me.

After the op I could only eat liquids at first as my stomach was so small. I gradually introduced solid food, but my appetite was tiny – I would just about manage a tiny plate of mince and veg.

In three months I lost 4st. I was healthier and happier than I’d ever been. Sadly, Tony and I split up, but with my new-found confidence I knew I’d be OK.

Now I’ve lost 8st 12lb and weight 10st. Like Sharon, I’ve also had a boob job – I’m now a 36DD. First the first time in years I feel attractive and excited about the idea of dating again. I can’t wait to show off my new figure at all the Christmas parties. But I’ll be giving the party food a miss.

It’s amazing to think I used to watch The X Factor and dream of looking like Sharon. Now, thanks to her, I can watch it and feel proud. At last I’m back to the slim, bubbly girl I used to be.

Read Jo's story and see her amazing before and after photo's