Maria was one of the quietest members, always immaculate in dress and make up. Physically, we have all seen Maria reduce in size but the most noticeable difference is in her confidence. From being one of the quiet and reserved ladies Maria is now far more outgoing and certainly is now able to contribute to class discussions etc. Maria now lets her character and personality shine through rather than hiding it away.

One thing that I admire in Maria is her honesty. When faced with a weight gain she does not lay the blame anywhere but on her own doorstep. She has never come up with an excuse; she has always admitted to herself and me what she has done. The ribbons she now receives for her achievements are firmly pinned to her card but following a weight gain she took off the ribbons and did not put them back until she had earned them again.

Up until Christmas 2002 Maria had lost a wonderful 79 lbs but Christmas and a combination of other factors saw an increase of 15lbs. Maria was very upset about this but gave herself a good talking to and has got back on track. It has not been easy but Maria has worked hard and remained focused and is again shedding those pounds, putting us all to shame. Maria sets herself little goals and aims for them slow but sure. She has also joined a keep fit class which would have been unheard of a year ago. As well as her own achievements Maria has also been an inspiration to us all at Lapal. She comes into class with a smile and nine times out of ten can boast a loss. Maria has always completed truth sheets weekly and although she says hermeals are boring eats a well balanced diet. Maria is also welcome lady during promotion times and does a cracking job. She has also dabbled at being clerk when Michelle has been away. She always does an excellent job.

Maria has always had the support and encouragement from class but more importantly she has had the constant support of her husband and children. She never told her Mum or other family members or friends that she was dieting, she did not want the questions and the comments that so often put us off. Instead she got on with the task at hand. There are many people out there with greater losses than Maria has achieved but there are few to match Maria's determination, character and personality. She is a valued member of Lapal and her nomination has been unanimously supported by the entire class. It is a pleasure to be able to nominate Maria as an achiever for this year's celebrations. She deserves the recognition for all her hard work and hopefully it will spur her on to achieve even more in the coming year.

Starting Weight = 18st 1lbs
Total Weight Loss = 4st 8lbs
Weight Now = 13st7lbs