Size 20 woman loses five stones in 18 months after failing to find fitting clothes while shopping

After years of feeling 'rubbish', she knew it was time to change

Camila dropped from 14st 5lbs to 9st 4lbs in just 18 months

A woman who shed more than five stones in just over a year is sharing her story in a bid to inspire others to do the same.

Camila Coelho Nery from Brazil started comfort eating during her childhood after her parents separated and she was sent to live with her grandmother.

Feeling abandoned, the 29-year-old neglected her body over the years, indulging in fast food and consuming more than 5,000 calories a day until, at her heaviest, she weighed 14st 5lbs and wore a UK size 20.

But, the turning point came when Nery went on a shopping trip and realised she couldn’t fit into any of the stores clothes.

After years of thinking she was “rubbish” and blaming everyone else for her obesity, Nery decided it was time to make a change.

For her, losing the weight started with tackling her relationship with food and she cut her daily calorie intake by over half.

At first, Nery consumed as little as 1,400 calories a day, before she decided to build up her muscles at the gym and raised it 1,900.

Now, weighing a slender 9st 4lbs and wearing a UK size six, Nery says that her life has changed dramatically.

Not only is she slimmer but she feels much more confident, truly loves herself and believes that the process has made her a stronger woman.

Sharing her journey on Instagram, Nery posts regular photos of what she eats as well as dramatic before-and-after shots of her body in hope that others will be inspired.

For those looking to shift the pounds, she insists that the best place to start is by understanding what caused you to put on weight in the first place, to eat healthily, create an exercise routine and, most importantly of all, believe that it is possible.