Szilvia Sebok left her favourite slinky blue dress hanging up to inspire her to lose six stone.
She was devastated when she had to reach for a size 18 while shopping for jeans.
Back at home she dared to weigh herself and saw the dial hit 15st 8lb.
But Szilvia, 41, vowed to get back into her most flattering frock.
And seeing it hanging on her wardrobe door inspired her to ditch the pounds.
The pharmacy assistant said: “I went shopping and couldn’t get size 16 jeans on and even struggled with the next size up.
“I felt so uncomfortable and knew I had to make a change.”
She continued: “I dug out my favourite dress from when I was slim – it’s figure hugging and blue – and hung it on my wardrobe as motivation to fit into it again.
“Now I do, and I feel amazing.”
Szilvia slimmed during lockdown, so relatives were unaware she was dieting.
She said: “Lots of my family didn’t see me, and when they did again they were so shocked and almost didn’t recognise me.”
Szilvia, from Bristol, swapped fry-ups, KFC and cakes for Weetabix, fish and veggies.
She also bought a rowing machine to exercise while watching TV.
Just seven months on she was thrilled to be back in her favourite size 8 dress and a slender 9st 12lb.
The chuffed super-slimmer said: “I kept telling myself: ‘I’m going to fit in the blue dress again.’
“And now I have. I am so proud of myself.”
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