text: An obese mother who enjoyed takeaways and boozy nights out has lost more than seven stone after a child on a bus pointed at her and asked whether she was pregnant. Lizzi Crawford, 32, tipped the scales at 20 stone when she overheard the young bus passenger ask his mum: 'Has she got a baby in her belly?' The embarrassing remark left the mother-of-six, from Stoke-on-Trent, mortified but inspired her to ditch her unhealthy lifestyle and shed the pounds, slimming down to a healthier 12.5st. Lizzi Crawford dropped over 7st after a stranger mistook her for being pregnant . Lizzi had reached a size 24 dress after living on a diet of burgers, pizzas and kebabs. But she also devoured liquid calories in the form of wine and spirits. However Lizzi never realised how big she had got until she heard the pregnancy remark on the bus. She said: 'It started when I was taking my kids to school and we were sitting on the bus. A kid then looked at me and said: "Has she got a baby in her belly?"' Lizzi now admits that she was living an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. She continued: 'It was terrible. I was being a slob to be honest. Lizzi piled on the pounds thanks to a boozy lifestyle and diet of takeaways, pizzas and kebabs . As well as her battle to lose weight Lizzi also won her battle against cervical cancer . 'I was eating burgers, takeaways, pizzas, kebabs and drinking - mainly wine and spirits mixed with Dr Pepper. 'I knew I had to do something about my weight for the sake of my children.' In a serious bid to slim down Lizzi began cooking healthier meals and joining fitness and self-defense classes which saw her lose over 7st. Incredibly, she achieved her goal despite suffering the set-back of being diagnosed with cervical cancer in October 2012. As well as winning her fight against the disease following a hysterectomy and cancer treatment she has now won her battle against the bulge. Lizzi, who works a cleaner, kept fit by attending self-defense classes at T6 Fight Club in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. She also discovered Hourglass training - a fitness programme designed to keep a woman's curves while she gets healthy. Lizzi says that having support from other women at her gym helped her to achieve her goal. Lizzi joined the gym and began hourglass training and says that she is now addicted to fitness . 'I began to build relationships with the people at the gym. The girls were egging me on to eat well - they all cheer each other on. 'I've got some of the best friends I've ever made there. They don't look down their noses at you and you're always made to feel welcome.' The slimmer says she is now 'addicted' to her fitness classes and goes five times every week. She added that losing the weight has helped her mental being as well as her physical being. 'I can do a lot more things now. I can walk more places and do more with the kids - I can even do simple tasks like getting up and down the stairs easier now. 'It's helped me mentally because it was depressing when I was heavy, but since I started Hourglass, that has just gone. 'The weight loss has helped me in the workplace too. I find I can get around much quicker and finish earlier - it used to take me ages. 'Now I can spend more time with the kids.' Lizzi's mum, Mary Crawford, 57, said her daughter's slimming efforts had been 'amazing'. She added: 'She's found out about cooking the right way, she's been going to the gym and riding bikes. 'She's stuck at it and I think it's amazing what she's done. I'm really pleased, and I believe she will keep it off as she's found a routine that suits her. 'She's like the old Lizzi I used to know as a little girl.'
target: Lizzi Crawford piled on the pounds after feasting on takeaways .
  She decided to make a change after a child mistook her for being pregnant .
  Lizzi went on to loose almost 8st slimming down to 12.5 st .
  She also fought off cervical cancer after she was diagnosed in 2012 .