THREE Dorset residents celebrated the New Year with a new look after losing more than 18 stone altogether.

Super slimmers Mick Adams, Liz Fearnley and Tammy Hutchinson are now encouraging others to achieve their weight-loss goals for the New Year with their inspiring stories.

Manager of South West Coaches on Portland, Mick Adams, will start the New Year with his bus driving licence back after losing 10 stone taking him from 24st 7lbs to 14st 7lbs.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted. I’m more active then I have ever been. It’s great.”

Mr Adams, 53, started his weight loss journey back in May 2010 and says he still doesn’t know exactly what his inspiration was to lose weight but a number of factors came together to spur him on.

He had been diagnosed with diabetes and the condition worsened until he was injecting insulin three times a day.

Because he was insulin dependent he couldn’t drive coaches and had to work in the main office.

He also had difficulty sleeping and suffered with sleep apnea, where he couldn’t breathe and sometimes stopped breathing in the night.

He had to use a machine to keep his airways free.

Through a program for healthy living at his doctor’s surgery he was given vouchers and joined Nicky Maynard’s Portland Slimming World group.

Mr Adams described his weight loss as a ‘life-changing journey’. He said: “I came off the insulin in May and got my coach driving licence back in December.

“I’m really pleased.”

Now if he needs to Mr Adams will be able to drive the coaches.

He added: “The doctor has also reduced my blood pressure tablets. It’s had quite an effect.”

The Man of the Year award winner is hoping to inspire other men to join up and has applied to be a consultant himself.

He said: “The biggest step for men is walking in through the doors. The first group I went to had two men and now there’s maybe ten there.”

Consultant Mrs Maynard said that Mr Adams was an asset to the group and helped out as part of the social club.

She said: “I’m delighted for him.”

‘My life has changed for the better’

FRIENDS Liz Fearnley, 36, and Tammy Hutchinson, 30, from Charminster have lost more than eight stone between them.

Mrs Fearnley joined first in October 2010 weighing 15st 8lbs. She said she suffered with depression and would comfort eat. She went to see her GP and he gave her vouchers for their healthy living program and she chose to join Tracie Williams’ Dorchester Slimming World group.

She said: “I went without telling anybody. It was a bit nerve-racking but Tracie brought me into the middle of the group and made me feel welcome.”

Mrs Fearnley hit her target weight of 11st 6lbs in October and puts her success down to the healthy eating plan, lots of walking and toning gym sessions at Physiques and Shapes health club in The Grove, Dorchester.

She said: “My depression has got a lot better. I’m a lot fitter than I was. I took the bus to town before and now I walk there and back, even in the winter.”

She added: “I feel a lot fitter, happier and more confident now.”

Friend Mrs Hutchinson, pictured above before her weight loss, joined the group in June weighing 18st 7lbs and is now 13st 11lbs. She said her final goal is to be 10st 7lbs.

She said: “Life has changed for the better. I can do a lot of things I couldn’t do. I’m happy in myself.”

Mrs Hutchinson added that losing the weight had made a big difference to her.

She said: “I can’t really describe it, it’s unbelievable. I go out and do things rather than stay indoors all day.”

Mrs Hutchinson, who has dropped from a dress size 24 to a size 16, said that helping each other on their weight loss journey had brought the friends even closer together.

The pair were voted joint Miss Slinky champions by their group and their consultant Tracie Williams said she was so proud of them.