I’ve been overweight my entire life, right from young adulthood. I made half-hearted attempts to change things but nothing really stuck. Aged 38, I figured this was just the size I was supposed to be.

Then one day I found myself hiding in the kitchen demolishing a family size bag of crisps  [chips] where my toddlers couldn’t see me. I was hiding because I didn’t want them eating this kind of junk. So why was I? They were too young to understand what I was doing right now, but soon they would. What then? What was I teaching them? Things had to change.

To start with I did the obvious things – stopped snacking, cut out fizzy drinks, better portion sizes. My wonderful husband joined me and we lost over a stone [14lbs] each in the first month. Doing it together really helped but after awhile we reached a plateau. He joined a gym near work, but I work irregular hours from home with two toddlers following my every move 90% of the time. How can you fit exercise into that?

As a long-time wrestling fan, I’d heard of DDPY, but I knew I wasn’t a ‘yoga person’. Then I saw DDP was coming to London for a workshop. What better way to try it out? And if I didn’t get on with it, I’d met a legend and had a new funny story about how lame I was at yoga.

I always feel a bit sheepish saying this because I’m not a particularly dramatic person but going to the class that day totally changed my life. Dallas was inspiring and interesting and everything you’d hope, but the other people I met were of all weights and abilities and the whole thing was empowering. I could do this (well I couldn’t yet, I was about as flexible as a twig but that was the point, I could modify to do the moves to my ability without maiming myself). And I really enjoyed it. It felt achievable and satisfying and fun in a way exercise never had before. I finished the session feeling like I could take on the world. And I felt like I could do it again tomorrow. And the day after that.

And, mostly, that’s what I’ve done. I signed up with the DDP YOGA NOW app, doing workouts at least three times a week around work, naptimes and general family life. I joined the DDPY Facebook group, the most supportive and helpful corner of the internet. I’ve now lost 80 pounds, down from a UK size 22 to a size 10 [US 18 to 6]. I’m happier. Healthier. My mum-tum is flatter and I’ve built actual honest-to-goodness muscle for the first time ever. The back pain I’ve had to varying degrees every day for five years is almost completely gone. I’ve stopped having mornings where I had to take painkillers the moment I got out of bed because I knew it was a day I’d otherwise struggle lifting my son.

About six months after I started DDPY, we went to the park as a family. My daughter wanted to play football [soccer]. Normally I’d have let my husband do it, because I was too self-conscious to get involved in case people looked at me and judged or, worse, laughed. But my daughter insisted. She wanted to play with me. So we did, for almost an hour. Outrageous tackles and diving, elaborate goal celebrations with a conga line and jazz hands. We whooped and laughed and on the way home she told me it was her best trip to the park ever (and she loves the park, so the bar is high). I would never have had either the fitness ability or the confidence to do that without DDPY.

I still have lots to learn, but I have more energy having just turned 40 than I had at 20. My friends and family can’t believe the difference in me. I feel like I can achieve anything – which is just as well, as I’ve just signed up for Level 1 Instructor Training so I can help other people get the most from this too. I still don’t think I’m a ‘yoga person’, but I’m really happy being a DDP YOGA person.