Obese Couple Shed HALF Their Combined Weight After Being Told They Only Had Years to Live

1/14 (BEFORE PHOTO) Joanne Richards and Barry Ricketts had both been overweight since childhood and were dubbed Fatty Jo and Big Baz by school bullies. The pair were both so unfit they struggled to get round the house they shared in Stourbridge in the West Midlands. Miss Richards even stored her clothes downstairs because she could not make it up to their bedroom to get changed.

2/14 (AFTER PHOTO) The 31-year-old tipped the scales at 24st 5lbs (around 154kg) and wore a size 32, while her long-term partner Mr Ricketts, 43, was 21st (around 133kg) and wore a six XXXL trouser.

3/14 'I was told I would die by the time I was 40 if I kept going the way I was,' Miss Richards says. 'I couldn't believe how bad we'd got and knew it was now or never to lose weight. It had to happen.'

4/14 She started gaining weight when she was nine and was bullied because of it. She said: 'The kids at school called me Fatty and Big Jo. I should have lost weight but I comfort ate instead. I snacked on crisps and chocolates, and on my way home I'd stop in the chippy.

5/14 Miss Richards said: 'I made sure our son, Josh, ate healthily, but Barry and I continued to eat junk. 'Soon, being overweight not only affected our health but our relationship with Josh too. 'He'd want to go for a walk or play football and we'd make excuses to avoid anything energetic. We were so unfit. 'It must have hurt him to hear "no" all the time.'

6/14 'I didn't want to lose weight so fast I was left with saggy skin, too. So I decided to try and lose weight on my own.' Miss Richards ditched the takeaways and in March 2012 she joined her local Weight Watchers class. She said: 'I was taught how to follow their healthy eating plan, find healthy alternatives and eat smaller portions. My group leader was full of tips.'

7/14 Feeling encouraged following her first class, Miss Richards decided to walk to her mum's house three miles away to get some exercise, but things didn't go to plan. 'It should have taken me an hour, but it took me four,' she said. 'I'd always thought I was young so I was healthy, but I kept stopping because my knees and feet hurt.

8/14 Mr Ricketts offered to show his support by eating the same low-calories meals as her. Then when he saw her lose half a stone a week, he joined Weight Watchers too. Mr Ricketts said: 'I'd always thought I could eat what I liked – massive curries, all-you-can-eat carveries. 'I had a huge appetite and would only stop when my stomach hurt. I didn't care how I looked. Eating made me happy. 'But my health was suffering too and I realised someone of my size could have a severely reduced mortality and I wanted to live to see my son grow up. 'So I decided to lose weight as well. I'd always thought it would be hard work and I'd never be a normal size. I guess I'd accepted my lot.'

9/14 But the couple spurred each other on, and as the weight fell off, they even started exercising. 'We went for walks together, to the gym twice a week, and swimming,' Miss Richards said: 'I wouldn't have dared do any of that before. I would have been too embarrassed to walk around in a swimsuit, and too unfit.'

10/14 Mr Ricketts who had lost 7st 5lbs and reached his goal weight, 13st 9lbs – ditched his XXXL trousers for slim, medium jeans.

11/14 Miss Richards said: 'Suddenly we had all this energy to keep fit, which kept the weight off.' In early 2013 she even took part in two walking marathons.

12/14 Later that year Miss Richards also launched her first slimming class. After losing 13st 7lbs and weighing 10st 12lbs, she wanted to help others. Miss Richards, who's now a size 12, said: 'I love seeing my members reach their goals.

13/14 'I'm really pleased I didn't turn to surgery to lose weight, and did it with Barry. 'Doing it as a couple helped us keep going. I couldn't have done it alone.

14/14 'We can do so much more with Josh now, too, which is great.' Mr Ricketts added: 'We're so much happier now, how we look and feel. 'Losing weight has brought us all closer together.'