'I lost 10st - my biggest piece of advice has nothing to do with diet or exercise but is so worth it'

Cheeks explained that in her 20s the biggest issue she had with her heaviness was that she couldn't wear what she wanted to wear and didn't look like other people her age. While she admitted she felt self-conscious sometimes, her weight didn't really bother her.

In her mid-30s she got married and had children, and turned to food with her husband because they loved to eat.

But when she got to her late 30s and early 40s and was heavier than ever, Cheeks revealed the biggest concern was no longer about how she looked but how she felt.

She said: "And I felt awful. I felt ill, I was in pain and things were starting to go wrong with my body - and that's just what happens when you're significantly overweight for long periods of time."

The slimmer admitted she loved food which made her battle with weight loss difficult, but was able to make a substantial change when she gave herself the "reality check" she needed.

Facing total joint replacement surgery - partly as a result of her weight - she resolved to make the change. Eating so much of the wrong foods had done nothing for her but cause "a world of pain".

Cheeks told viewers: "There's so much out there about calorie deficit, eating more protein, BMR (basal metabolic rate), TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).

"And while all those things are absolutely true, unless you've lost a substantial amount of weight, you won't know how it feels and that's going to tie into what my biggest tip for weight loss is.

"My biggest tip for losing weight is that it is 99 per cent mental. You are no different to me. There's nothing special about me. I've got no superpower with willpower or motivation.

"I am a normal middle-aged woman who lost a lot of weight because I committed to the process and because I was honest with myself about the damage I was doing to my body.

"And the thing that nobody else can tell you unless they've been heavy is - my God it's worth it. It is so, so worth it. Do it."

To develop a positive weight-loss-friendly mindset the experts at Lose It! said that weight loss is a mental game as well as a physical one.

They advised slimmers to clarify their motivation for losing weight, practice self-compassion during their journey, take time to eat mindfully, set realistic goals, adopt a growth mindset as opposed to perfection and focus on building long-term habits rather than chasing short-term results.

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As well as developing the right mental outlook, slimmers should look at their diet and lifestyle habits. The NHS provided some essential guidance for those who want to lose weight. Slimmers have been advised to get active for 150 minutes a week (which can be broken up into shorter sessions).

In terms of diet, Britons trying to lose weight should aim to get their five-a-day. The NHS noted that 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables counts as one portion.

To make healthier choices, slimmers should read food labels, opting for products with more green colour coding than amber and red.

They should also swap sugary drinks for water, which is calorie-free and helps the body feel full. For those who don't like the taste of water, the NHS recommended adding slices of lemon or lime for flavour.

Slimmers should also look at making food swaps. To cut down on food that's high in sugar and fat, swap sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives.

Slimmers should aim to lose one to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week, rather than losing it extremely quickly.