text: A woman who ate four takeaways a week and smoked 20 cigarettes a day has shed eight stone after doctors told her she was at risk of suffering a stroke at just 23. Rochelle Holmes, of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was told she had gained so much weight she could die before the age of 25 due to her bad habits. Her lifestyle meant she had ballooned to 20st 5lbs, but after receiving the stark warning about her health she decided to lose weight and quit smoking once and for all. But by swapping takeaways for healthy alternatives and controlling the amounts she ate, she managed to slim down to a size 12. Rochelle Holmes, 26, ballooned to 20st 5lbs (left) after eating four takeaways a week  - and she also smoked 20 cigarettes a day. She shed 8st after changing her diet and exercising and is now a size 12 (right) Miss Holmes, who works as a bakery assistant, said: 'Now I make sure a third of my plate is packed full of vegetables. 'I snack on apples and other fruits and make sure my portions are controlled. 'I'm proof that you can succeed and I want to feel healthy for the rest of my life.' The 26-year-old, who used to be a size 24, said she was always a 'big girl'  - but  began piling on the pounds in her final year of school going to bars and clubs with friends. A typical night out would involve several pints and bottles of Blue WKD,  a packet of cigarettes and then a greasy takeaway. By the time she reached 17, Miss Holmes was a size 20. She began to rely on fatty foods and would easily spend over £30 a week on pizzas and kebabs, meaning she never learned to cook or prepare a proper meal. She said: 'I was addicted to fatty foods as well as the cigarettes. I couldn't resist tucking into a takeaway after a night out and then continued when I was hungover.' Miss Holmes ballooned to a size 24 after going on nights out with friends and heavily drinking. She spent £30 a week on takeaways and kebabs and never learned to cook a proper meal . She was so overweight she became out of breath walking up stairs (she is pictured, left, before her weight loss). After slimming down to 11st (pictured right) Miss Holmes says she 'wants to be healthy forever' 'Then I became really miserable. I stopped going out because I didn't feel attractive any more. I was happy that my partner Chris loved me and that was all I needed. 'But when I wasn't going out drinking, I would rely on takeaways instead. 'It was a vicious cycle and I was comfort eating. 'Growing up, I was used to huge portions and watching my mum  comfort eat, so it ended up like a habit. 'I would never exercise and would think nothing of tucking into fish and chips, dumplings or pizza.' The reality of her weight gain only hit her when she attended her medical centre, in the hope of quitting smoking, and she couldn't climb the stairs without getting breathless. Medical experts warned her blood pressure was dangerously high at 145/90, a major risk factor for heart disease or a stroke. Miss Holmes, who lives with her boyfriend Chris, a 29-year-old baker, said: 'It was horrible hearing from a nurse that I had put on so much weight and combined with my addiction to cigarettes, that my life was in danger. She said: 'You are at a serious risk of a stroke and you're only 23 years-old. BEFORE . Breakfast: Huge bowl of Coco Pops and white toast with lashings of jam and butter . Lunch: Pre-made sandwiches from convenience stores . Dinner: Ready meal and chips or greasy takeaway from chinese or fish and chip shop . Snacks: Crisps, chocolate . Drinks: Full-fat fizzy drinks, blue WKD . AFTER . Breakfast: Porridge and fresh fruit . Lunch: Ham salad or omelette . Dinner: Home-cooked meal made from scratch using healthy ingredients, with one third of the plate vegetables . Snacks: Fruit . Drinks: Water . 'I was terrified that I could have died. I was completely scared to death when she sent me home with a heart monitor. 'I didn't realise I had let myself get this big but the shock was enough, it gave me the opportunity to change my life.' Determined to lose weight, she decided to join Slimming World for support. She said: 'Losing weight was really hard work but I stuck at it and joined a Zumba and kettle bell class. 'When I first went to Slimming World I was so nervous, but everyone was so friendly and now it's become a social event for me too. She added: 'People say it's expensive to buy healthy food but I was spending between £30 and £40 a week bingeing on takeaways. 'Now I always stick to my budget and I feel a lot better for it.' Miss Holmes' hard work paid off and she managed to drop six dress sizes, her blood pressure is back to normal and she hasn't touched a cigarette since. She makes sure she drinks moderately on nights out and avoids sugary drinks like blue WKD, instead opting for clear spirits with a low-calorie mixer. She can now wear flattering size 10-12 tops and dresses and can even fit into a pair of trousers she used to wear when she was younger. Since losing the weight, she has begun working as a consultant for Slimming World, wanting to help others in a similar situation. She said: 'I am now doing something that I love by running a business but also inspiring people to lose weight and using myself as an example. 'Chris and my group members are so proud of me for becoming a consultant and I feel amazing. 'I have confidence that I never thought I'd be able to have and I can actually cook now.'
target: Rochelle Holmes, 26, ballooned to 20st on a diet of pizzas and kebabs .
  She smoked 20 cigarettes a day and got out of breath walking up stairs .
  Doctors warned her blood pressure was so high she was at risk of a stroke .
  She managed to lose 8st and drop 6 dress sizes by changing her lifestyle .