Diet and exercise guru Rosemary Conley dished out awards to 10 star slimme rs including a bride who shed 11stones for her special day.

The winners of the Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Magazine Slimmer of the Year 2011 awards lost 100 stone between them.

Laura Powell, 27, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, slimmed down so she could slip into a glittering size 10 dress for her wedding day on December 27.

She scooped the prize Bride Slimmer of the Year at the awards ceremony at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall.

Ms Powell, who enjoyed her dream wedding day on December 27, took a break from her honeymoon in London to accept her award.

Her husband, Ed Barrett, proposed on Christmas Day 2009 and Ms Powell decided she did not want to buy a size 28 wedding dress.

“It really spurred me to lose the weight,” said Ms Powell, who weighed 23 stones 7lb before she started to slim.

“I feel unbelievable and my life has changed so much. People who had not seen me for four months didn’t recognise me on the wedding day.

“Ed’s uncle, who saw me four months before the wedding, asked Ed’s dad who the bride was.”

Ms Powell now plans to train to become a fitness instructor.

Doctors have told her that since losing the weight, her life expectancy has increased by 10 years.

“Now we’re married we will think about starting a family,” she said.

“I am thinking about motherhood so that is something very good to hear.”

Mr Barrett added: “I am so proud of her, she has done it so quickly.”

Other winners include Fiona Dunn, 36, from Crediton, Devon, who was crowned Yummy Mummy Slimmer of the Year.

Ms Dunn tipped the scales at 19 stones 7lb and was a size 22 when she weighed herself 14 months ago. She was so ashamed of her frame that she refused to go to a regimental ball with her husband, a Royal Marines Sergeant.

But after she lost 8 stones 7lb, she was able to attend her first ball in a size 12 dress.

However, the highlight of losing weight was to be able to play with her children Alfie, seven, and Charlie, five, she said.

Ms Dunn, who took 14 months to drop the weight, said: “I was so unhappy with my life and now my life is full and I can do so much more with the boys.

“My son used to say to me: ‘Mummy you are the second fattest mummy at school but you are the mostly cuddly.’ Recently Alfie said to me: ‘Mummy you are slim but you are still a good cuddler’.”

Sarah Humphreys, who used to think nothing of polishing off two family-sized bars of chocolate, was given the Entrepreneur Slimmer accolade after she shed 10 stone to become a professional dog walker.

The 26-year-old, who suffers from dyslexia and dyspraxia, chose to shed the pounds to achieve her goal.

Miss Humphreys now takes up to 15 dogs out and walks an average of 25 miles each day.

The Super-Fit Female Slimmer of the Year 2011 was given to Joanne Dreher after she lost 11 stones 6lb.

The 35-year-old from Rushmere, Ipswich, Suffolk, had dangerously high cholesterol before she gave up junk food and lounging in front of the television and now she teaches six exercise classes each week. She has been told her life expectancy has increased by 10 years after she lost half her body weight.

“When I tell someone I am a fitness and diet instructor I want to laugh,” she said.

After 22 months hard work she has shrunk from a size 30 dress to a size 12.

Stephanie Hughes tipped the scales a hefty 23 stones 8lb before she decided she wanted to lose weight to become a good role model for her seven-year-old daughter.

Ms Hughes was a size 28 and now she has slimmed down to 11 stones in 11 months and wears a size 10.

“I am training now to be a driving instructor and I would never ever have had the confidence to do that before”.

The Biggest Loser Male was handed to 26-year-old Michael Hutchinson, from Sittingbourne, Kent, who shed a jaw-dropping 12 stones 7lb.

Mr Hutchinson, who weighed a mammoth 30 stones 7lb, had set his sights on having a gastric band fitted and started to diet to help him shed a few pounds before the operation. However, after losing two stones in a month, the six-foot four-inch former rugby player decided against the surgery.

The community psychiatric nurse, who lost his weight in one year, said: “I really needed to lose weight. My wife’s mother was dying and I did not want her to be worried about me and my health.

“The life I was living before was boring. I was just slobbing around and watching TV, now I do exercise, sports and go running.”

Student Eve Leonard was crowned Student Slimmer of the Year. The 23-year-old, from Sunderland, who is studying for a masters degree in social work at Lancaster University, piled on the pounds after starting university.

“Lots of students put on weight when they move away from home but I put on so much more,” said Miss Leonard.

In January last year she booked a holiday to Rhodes in Greece with her boyfriend which stimulated her to lose the weight.

After shedding 6 stones 4lb, Ms Leonard is now a slim size 10.

Ms Harvey, from Glasgow, scooped the Online Slimmer award today after shedding 6 stones 6lb in 14 months.

The petite 41-year-old, who works as an NHS call handler, was a size 22 before she lost weight.

Ms Harvey, whose nickname used to be Fat Pat, recently completed the 26-mile Edinburgh Moonwalk.

Margaret Balneaves was also awarded after she shed more than half her body weight.

The 51-year-old from Edinburgh was given the title of 50 plus Slimmer of the Year after she dropped from 21 stones to 9 stones 12lb.

Mrs Balneaves lost the weight by eating smaller portions, banning junk food and by joining a diet and fitness club.

Carl Williams, from Anglesey, north Wales, could not see his feet before he decided to lose weight.

After losing 10 stones 1lb in just nine months, the 38-year-old was given the accolade of Super-Fit Male Slimmer.

Mr Williams used to wear size XXXL clothes and tipped the scales at 23 stones 1lb. Because of his size, he could not work but since slimming to 13 stones, he has got a job as a sales assistant at Dunelm Mill.

In nine months Mr Williams lost 9 stones 12lb. He now attends three fitness classes a week, has joined a gym and enjoys exercising on his Wii Fit.

TV Doctor Hilary Jones estimated the slimmers’ combined life expectancy had increased by 87 years. Ms Conley added: “I am incredibly proud of everything they have achieved. “Together they have lost over 100 stones and they have added 87 years to their life expectancy and I think to be part of that is just a privilege.”

Slimming tips

Many people welcome in the New Year with resolutions to lose weight.

Fitness guru Rosemary Conley has given her top tips on how to get the perfect body just in time for Summer.

• The only time to lose weight is when you are really ready to do it. Make a positive decision to be healthier and more active.

• Exercise is key to having a good body at the end of your weight loss.

• Do exercise that makes you slightly out of breath. Go to aerobics classes, go walking and go swimming.

• Eat a well balanced, low fat diet.

• Snack on a small piece of fruit during the day.

• Avoid chocolate and biscuits between meals.