Super slimmer Tracey Tanner, who lost four stone in a year, is all set to help others begin their fight against festive flab after throwing in her job to become a full-time diet and fitness instructor in the New Year.

So if you consumed a few too many mince pies or overdid it on the turkey, she hopes to provide a positive alternative to the crash diets many adopt in the aftermath of Christmas.

Tracey, 31, of the Warren, Billericay, packed in her job as manager of Hannakins Farm Community Centre in Rosebay Avenue, Billericay, this week and now hopes to help people enter the New Year fighting fit and free from a Millennium hangover.

Tracey said: "The whole thing has been life changing for me.

"Losing four stone has given me the confidence in myself to go out and do something like this.

"It is really exciting to be running my own business and doing something so different. It will be such a change from my work at Hannakins. It will be a full-time occupation though, with 10 classes running across Wickford."

It was starting a diet and fitness scheme at the beginning of 1998 which led to Tracey's dramatic career move.

Within a year she had lost four and a half stone and was able to keep her weight down throughout 1999.

Exactly two years later she is a fully accredited Rosemary Conley fitness and diet instructor and will start running classes in January after buying the franchise for Wickford.

Tracey said: "It was so motivating to go to the classes. The whole emphasis is on the health benefits of exercise and dieting sensibly.

"It is all about changing your lifestyle and your mind set to try to keep healthy rather than plunging into diets."

Tracey is grateful for all the support she has received especially from Hannakins Farm Community Centre where she was manager for six years.

She said: "The management committee has been brilliant in supporting me as has my husband Steve."

Tracey will be running classes at Runwell Village Hall and Beauchamps School in Wickford. To find out more call 01277 631360.

Super slim: Tracey Tanner

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