text: A mother-of-two lost more than ten stone after she became concerned that her size was causing her to look like a man. Kim Callaghan, 39, piled on the pounds after the birth of her two children, reaching a worrying  20st 3lb. However, the determined slimmer has now shrunk down to a slender 9st 10lb after taking up exercise and swapping starchy meals for smaller portions. Kim Callaghan became so worried that her weight was causing her to look like a man that she went on a dramatic diet that saw her lose half of her body weight . Kim's weight loss saw her drop an incredible ten dress sizes to slim down to a slinky size eight. Before she slimmed down Kim's wardrobe was limited to size 28 figure-hiding garments, and she was afraid she was losing her femininity. Kim who lives in Ardee, County Louth, Ireland, says she turned to masculine clothing as a way of hiding her shape. 'I only wore baggy trousers and flappy shirts when I was fat - I was trying to cover up my body because I was embarrassed. I stopped looking like a woman. 'Now I've slimmed down and I feel confident enough to wear dresses again. I feel healthy and very feminine.' Kim married her husband Sean Callaghan, 41, in 1999. After the pair got married they splashed out on a double deep-fat fryer. Kim piled on the pounds after giving birth to her two children, as she became heavier she worried that her husband Sean would not see her as the 'sexy' woman he married . Before her weight loss Kim was limited to a wardrobe of size 28 clothing she is now a slinky size 10 . The housewife's diet consisted mainly of convenience foods like chicken kiev, deep-fried chicken, potato croquettes and burgers. She said: 'We loved pizza, chips and chicken kievs. The deep fat fryer was my favourite thing in the house.' Soon after Kim gave birth to her children Owen, now 14, and Shannon, 13, and her weight gain accelerated. Eventually she tipped the scales at 20st 3lb and says that she found it increasingly difficult to find clothes to suit her. The turning point came for Kim when she struggled to keep up with her children she now takes part in regular exercise including cycling around her local area . Kim joined Slimming World in secret and lost a stone in her first three weeks . 'I tried to take pride in my appearance, but at that size it was impossible to find anything flattering, I ordered all my clothes from catalogues. 'Before long I had a wardrobe which could have been owned by a man. I had a signature cropped hairstyle and honestly looked nothing like a woman. I was worried that the the sexy, curvy bride which Sean had married had disappeared forever.' The turning point came for Kim when she was out with her children on St Patrick's Day in 2011. She had to stop and rest after struggling to keep up. She said: 'I was trying to follow the kids up a hill near our home. I was hot and sweaty and I had to stop to catch my breath. 'My weight was getting in the way of my life with my kids - I knew it was time to change. 'When I got home that night I found a Slimming World leaflet had been posted through my door. I thought it was a sign.' Kim started attending her local Slimming World classes in secret and was initially embarrassed to admit she was trying to lose weight. She said: 'It took all my courage to go to the meetings - I was convinced everyone would judge me. Kim feels far more feminine now that she is not limited to catalogue clothing . 'Three weeks later I'd shed a stone and I celebrated by telling my husband and the kids. They were all very supportive and amazed at what I had done.' In a bid to make a dramatic change she swapped greasy fried foods for healthy meals cooked from scratch. Kim even threw out her double deep-fat-fryer. The devoted slimmer also started running and cycling - and the pounds started to fall off. Soon she had slimmed down to the slinky 9st 10lb she is today and ditched her baggy unflattering clothes for good. She said: 'I love being able to go into shops and have everything fit me. I don't need to order from catalogues any more. 'I feel fantastic and I look great. I have a new life now.' Breakfast: Nothing . Lunch: Fry-up with four slices of buttered bread . Dinner: Chicken Kiev with potato croquettes and chips . Snacks: Crisps . Breakfast: Porridge with berries . Lunch: Scrambled eggs with ham and mushrooms . Dinner: Chicken stir-fry . Snacks: Throughout the day she snacks on yoghurt and fresh fruit .
target: Kim Callaghan, from Ireland, piled on the pounds after having children .
  Limited to size 28 clothing Kim, 39, worried she resembled a man .
  She joined Slimming World and dropped ten dress sizes as well as 10st .