'I had one fear on dating apps - it made me instantly block people'

A gran-of-three who blocked people on dating apps whenever they asked for a photo has revealed her incredible transformation.

Joanne Neal had struggled with her size for years, attributing it to keeping unhealthy foods in her house.

The 56-year-old, from the Woodsmoor area of Stockport, regularly snacked on chocolate bars, Wagon Wheels and loved a bottle of rosé.

Her unhealthy diet meant she eventually began fitting into size 18 or XXL clothes, leaving her reluctant to send full-length photos whenever she was asked for them on dating apps.

Things came to a head when the project manager’s relationship broke down and she suffered two slipped discs during the pandemic.

The incident left the gran in so much pain she was reduced to crawling around on her hands and knees and using crutches in her house.

Forking out for private acupuncture and massages as she desperately sought pain relief, Joanne’s world came crashing down when a consultant told her she was too big to operate on.

Faced with no other option, Joanne, who had run out of pain medication by that point, decided to sign up to Slimming World in February 2023.

By following a food optimising plan and making healthier choices she went on to lose a staggering 6st 10lbs.

Recalling her previous diet, Joanne told the Manchester Evening News: “It was having the wrong food in the house. I had a drawer at the bottom of the fridge with chocolate and Wagon Wheels. I went for them rather than making myself something to eat, just going in there.

“If I didn’t eat, I would go round eating anything I could find. I wouldn’t make myself a meal or anything.”

Joanne says her lifestyle also impacted her dating life. “I’m single and I was trying to do internet dating,” she said.