AFTER a fairly rapid weight loss of 12.5kg (28 lbs) in the first four months, Michelle Ward, winner of an Examiner competition for a year’s gym membership at the Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield, admits that she’s now reached a sticking point.

“It’s a bit disheartening,” she says, “but the weight doesn’t seem to be shifting.”

Michelle is, in fact, suffering from a common syndrome, experienced by many who embark on a fitness and weight loss programme and shed the pounds initially only to find themselves stuck in a rut.

But the fitness trainers she’s been working with at the Cedar Court gym plan to keep changing her schedule to provide challenging workouts. It’s the key to getting the weight to drop off again.

From February to June this year 41-year-old Michelle, who uses the gym, swims and attends Aquafit classes three times a week, was losing an average of 3.2kg (7lb) a month and making steady progress.

But as the summer wore on she discovered that her busy life as a carer for her husband Francis, who has spina bifida; working as a senior training officer for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, and being a mum to Chloe, 13, and Kaitlyn, 8, was taking its toll on her gym schedule and making it hard to organise her diet.

And then the family, from Birchencliffe, had some bad news when Francis, who has been battling his own weight problem with the help of the Kirklees Weight Management Service, was diagnosed with diabetes.

“It changed the way we had to plan our meals,” said Michelle, “and it was no longer about calorie counting, we had to be careful with sugars and carbohydrates. We had all sorts of doctors appointments and I was trying to fit a lot in.”

The run-up to the school holidays was a particularly busy time and a family camping trip to Clacton-on-Sea, while a much-needed break, also got in the way of her fitness programme.

“We are always limited about how far we can walk on holiday because of Francis, so we did drive around a lot,” explained Michelle, “although one day I walked with the girls to a market and I was delighted to be able to buy a top, size 18. At a size 26 I was never able to buy clothes from markets.”

But now that she’s home Michelle is back to her gym and swim routine: “It’s been chaotic, but I’m getting down to it again. Since we came back from holiday I’ve walked to work two days a week and I’ve been going to the gym three times a week.”

Although she is disappointed with her weight loss to date – down from 110kg (around 17 stones) to 97kg (around 15 stones), Michelle has lost nearly 15cm (6in) from her hips and reduced her Body Mass Index from 38 to just over 33.

She also feels much fitter and says friends and colleagues have commented on her new, slimmer, figure.

“I’ve been racing around, playing with the girls and riding Kaitlyn’s bike, which is something I could never have imagined doing before,” she said.

Michelle has also been busy with two DIY projects at home, grouting the family’s new shower room and creating a vegetable plot in the garden.

Dropping four dress sizes has meant that for the first time in many years she’s been able to shop for clothes in what calls ‘ordinary shops’ instead of outsize departments. She also has her first-ever pair of denim jeans. Her new clothes made an appearance for our photoshoot.

Michelle was nominated for the prize in our Cedar Court competition by Francis, who was concerned his wife was caring for everyone except herself.

When she began her 12 months in the gym Michelle confessed that her busy lifestyle led to a lot of comfort eating, but she wanted to improve her fitness and avoid future health problems. Both her mum and grandma had diabetes and her mum, who died from a stroke, also had high blood pressure.

Now that she’s back on track Michelle is hoping to shed another couple of stones and start 2013 a few more dress sizes slimmer.

We’ll be catching up with her again in the New Year.

Michelle has been blogging about her experience on the Cedar Court website – www.cedarcourthotels.co.uk/Huddersfield then click Our Blogger.