TRACY and Steve Bartlett lost a combined 14st 10lb in under a year after making a weight-loss pact to save Tracy from having to wear an oxygen mask.

Tracy, 42, and Steve, 33, of Romney Way in Braintree, had become overweight and reclusive after Tracy contracted Churg-Strauss syndrome, a rare lung disease which requires her to take steroids.

She was hooked up to an oxygen machine and could rarely leave the house. The couple wanted Christmas 2010 to be her last spent this way, knowing that weight loss would greatly improve her condition.

Tracy, a care worker for young men with learning difficulties, said: "Breathing had become very difficult for me, as the extra weight was a burden on my lungs.

"I was so unhappy with the way I looked and felt that we avoided going out altogether. As we rarely left the house, Steve's weight climbed to 18 and a half stone. Something had to change."

Tracy and Simon joined Slimming World at Marks Farm Community Centre in Braintree on January 5, each reaching their target weights before Christmas. Steve shed 6st 10lb, while Tracy lost 8st.

Simon, a cable manufacturer for TU Connectivity, said: "As a man, I found the first session very daunting. But the group was so friendly and supportive that we decided to keep on going."

With steady encouragement from consultant Heidi Cripps, the couple were able to steadily change their lives for the better. Tracy said: "I was very sceptical about the eating plan at first, but found that I'd lost 7½lbs in the first week. I couldn't believe it.

"Going to group sessions with other people experiencing the same things as you is inspirational – it's ideal for exchanging tips on what snacks to eat and exciting things to do for exercise.

"It's more a lifestyle change than a diet. It's about making lifelong choices. There's no comparison with how we feel now and how we did before. It's been a wonderful journey. Our group is like a family, where we feel we are truly amongst friends.

"We owe a lot to our friends at Slimming World. We plan to continue attending weekly sessions to pass on tips and stories to new members, as people did for us when we arrived."