A COUPLE from Devonport embracing the loveLIFE campaign have lost five of their 15 stone weight loss target.

Chris Searle, aged 30, and Charlotte Telling, aged 25, who are both unemployed, signed up to The Herald's loveLIFE campaign to help improve the quality of their family's life.

They planned to contribute by losing weight and quitting smoking, and since gaining 12-months free membership at Everyone Active, they have taken advantage of Brickfields gym three times a week.

Chris has managed to go from 22 stone down to 20 stone and Charlotte, who was originally 19 stone, is a healthier 16 stone thanks to their new fitness regime.

Now the couple are feeling more energised and healthier from their collective five stone weight loss.

Charlotte said: "We've cut back on the amount of food we're eating and don't eat so late at night. We're much stricter now, we've even started cooking a roast on a Sunday which is good because it's nice to sit down as a family."

Their fitness regime involves the treadmill, rowing machine, bikes, cross trainer and the weights, all of which seem to be putting the pair through their paces.

"My legs are killing me now! But I can feel I'm losing it off my tummy which is what I wanted," Charlotte added.

Charlotte also decided to quit smoking and has managed to follow her plan, currently being smoke-free for two weeks, even though Chris is still regularly smoking.

Charlotte continued: "I've found it really hard but I'm not getting the urge at all now, it just stinks to me, Chris isn't ready to give up yet but he will when he feels like he can."

The mother-of-two started by using prescribed tablets, and has since moved on to the chewing gum and mints.

Their children, Connor, aged four, and Chloe, aged three, who attend Marlborough Primary School, have also benefited from the lifestyle change.

"The kids have really noticed, Connor has been going into school telling his teachers that Mummy's a good girl because I've stopped smoking," Charlotte said.

Chris has also lost a considerable amount of weight and feels much better for it.

"I can't believe so much has gone, it's dropped off me, I'm really happy it's gone so quickly," he said.

"I really sweat though, I'm like a drowned rat when I've finished but I just keep wanting to do more. The more you fight the pain the more you get used to it and keep going, it's true what they say, no pain no gain.

"I feel better now, I'm not so breathless. I play with the kids more too and they've noticed that I have more energy. I've been running up the stairs after them when before I would struggle to walk up them!

"The last thing I want is for my kids saying they don't want me to die because of our lifestyle."

It's not just the couple's fitness that has improved thanks to their new health kick, they're also socialising more.

Chris continued: "We've been meeting new people at the gym and they've been encouraging us to stick with it and giving us really good comments because rather than moaning we're actually doing something about it."

For anyone thinking about losing weight or getting involved in loveLIFE, Chris has some advice: "I'd say to people go out there and do it."

"Get out there and go for it, don't be ashamed of yourself," Charlotte added.

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