He came home to a new woman! Army wife lost SEVEN stone while her husband was in Afghanistan 

• Deborah Poxton, 45, from Aldershot dropped from size 26 to 8-10
  
• The mother-of-six had piled on the pounds after having each of her children
• At her heaviest she weighed 17st 5lb
• She dieted when her husband was sent to Afghanistan
• He didn't recognise her on his return
  

By LUCY WATERLOW

PUBLISHED: 11:26 GMT, 7 June 2013 | UPDATED: 13:02 GMT, 7 June 2013

An Army wife said her husband didn't recognise her when he returned from duty in Afghanistan as she had lost seven stone. 

Deborah Poxton, 45, from Aldershot, Hampshire, dropped from a size 26 to a size 8-10 in the six months her husband, Mark, was posted abroad with the Grenadier Guards. 

She said her husband of 13 years was stunned by her transformation.

Dropped multiple dresses sizes: Deborah Poxton is now a size 8-10, right, from a size 26 after losing 7st

She said: 'He couldn't believe it. He came in the door and said: "Wow, where's my wife gone!?"

'When we went to a party recently, one of our friends even asked Mark who his new girlfriend was. He assumed Mark had left me for another woman when he saw me, because he thought I was a different person.'

The mother-of-six had piled on weight since having her first child more than 20 years ago, and gradually ballooned to 17st 5lb.

Shadow of her former self: Friends didn't recognise the slimmer Deborah, right

At her heaviest: The mother-of-six's weight ballooned to more than 17st after she had her children

Deborah said she put on more weight each time she had a child and after her first husband died of cancer in 1999.

'My weight had gradually got bigger, and rather than do something about it I would just buy bigger trousers,' she said.

'I would avoid cameras, and my self-esteem was rock bottom. But rather than do a healthy diet, I would just starve myself for a few days. After that I was back to old bad habits. 

'I would go round the supermarket and get a large six-pack of cream-cakes from the bakery thinking it would be a nice treat for the family.

'But by the time everyone was home in the evening there would be none left because I had eaten them all. I had no control back then.' 

Married for 13 years: Mark and Deborah on their wedding day in 2000

New woman: Mark couldn't believe how much weight his wife lost, right, while he was away

The self-confessed chocoholic was finally given a wake-up call when she saw a photo of her size 26 self at a family party. 

'My sister-in-law text me the photo and I was shocked. I thought, "That's not me!", and knew I had to do something about it,' she explained.

Deborah joined Weight Watchers and when Mark went away on tour with the Army, she became determined to stick to their diet plan.

'I became more or less obsessed with my diet, and really started to enjoy it,' she said.

'When Mark went away in March 2012, I was about 15 stone. But by then my diet became everything to me, and was a happy distraction to Mark being away. It gave me a focus.'

Success: Deborah has reached her target of losing 100lbs

Under the Weight Watchers regime, she ate three meals a day, cut down portion sizes and stuck to low-fat snacks.

She also started to get more exercise after she bought a dog and took him for regular 12-mile walks.

By the time Mark returned Deborah had dropped seven stone and was a size 8-10.

'When Mark came back it was really supportive and loved how I looked, which felt great. 

'I am a much happier person and now have a spring in my step, which is great for the whole family,' she said. 

She reached her final goal of surpassing 100lbs weight loss last weekend.

She said: 'I still have treats, I'm a chocoholic, but now it's everything in moderation. I never believed I could do it. Now, when I tell my story, I see people hanging off my every word.'