'I almost had to cut my engagement ring off after weight gain - now I've shed three stone'

A Yorkshire mum has lost three stone after getting her engagement ring stuck on her finger.

Jennie Hunter, 48, nearly resorted to getting her engagement ring cut off after it became so tight she couldn’t remove it while on holiday with her husband Neil, 51, last year.

Jennie works as an NHS pharmacist so only wears her ring for special occasions.

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She was so shocked after getting the ring stuck that she decided to take action when she returned to Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after her holiday.

The Yorkshire mum said: “The options were to get it cut off or to try and get it off. I couldn't face having it cut off because it was like breaking the symbol of marriage.

"I sat with a friend we iced my finger for a while and eventually got it off. My husband said we could get the ring made bigger but I said I wanted to be smaller.

"I panicked when I wouldn't come off, it had to come off. I was then really upset because I knew I wouldn't be able to get it back again."

Jennie tended to resort to convenience food and takeaways as she would often finish work and take her five-year-old son to an after school club.

She decided to join her local Slimming World group where she learnt how to plan healthy meals.

Jennie said: "I knew the weight was creeping on but I couldn't see how big I was getting. I knew I was getting bigger but because I saw myself every day, I didn't really notice it.”

Jennie is grateful for the benefits to her health since losing three stone. She said: "I'll take the stairs at work now instead of the lift, because my knees won't hurt when I'm walking up the stairs.

"I also feel happy going swimming, but before I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing a swimming costume. I feel a lot better in myself, like I've got more stamina which is great really."

She added: "The biggest thing for me was planning. I'm a working mum and don't finish until work until late and then I had to think about what to have for tea while trying to sort out my son.

"We ended up just eating convenience food like breaded chicken and oven fries because I hadn't prepped anything. Now I've planned my meals so I'm not coming home trying to figure out what I'm having to eat."