By Pamela McGowan

Last updated 17:37, Saturday, 30 August 2008

LOSING a combined weight of almost 10 stones in less than a year, Adam Cox and Hayley Nuttall have changed their bodies and lives.

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Adam Cox with Hayley Nuttall

In fact the two Cumbrians have done so well they made it into the finals of a Young Slimmer of the Year contest down in London.

Adam, 16, of Longtown, near Carlisle, and Hayley, who turned 22 this week, of Kendal, both shed pounds with help of popular weight-loss club Slimming World.

After seeing how much it changed their lives, their group leaders put them forward for the competition.

Both Adam and Hayley were selected to attend the high-profile final ceremony in London earlier this month, with Adam making it through to the final six contestants on the day.

While there they received personal praise from celebrity host Ryan Thomas, who plays builder Jason Grimshaw in ITV soap Coronation Street.

The first round saw the finalists split into small groups.

Each slimmer was then asked to talk about what motivated them to lose weight and the impact it has had on them.

For Adam it is about more than just simply shedding weight, it has enabled him to get fit and pursue a dream he never thought possible – to become a sports coach.

The teenager, who lost exactly five stones since last September, has just moved from Longtown to Doncaster with his parents after completing his GCSEs at Lochinvar School.

He has secured a job as a trainee mechanic and is also completing a part-time course to train as a sports coach.

It is a far cry from the Adam who struggled to find clothes to fit him in regular shops and whose love of cricket was hampered by his 17-stone frame.

Fed up of letting his weight hold him back, the youngster took it upon himself to do something about it and joined Slimming World last September.

By swapping his fatty pizzas and sugary snacks for healthy versions, Adam watched the weight drop off and his fitness levels soar.

He has even taught himself to cook healthy recipes – which can include burgers and chips – from a Slimming World cookbook.

He now hopes to use his own experiences to inspire other young people to change their lives by losing weight.

Adam’s dedicated battle to lose weight earned him a place in the final round of the competition and, even though he didn’t win, he said it had been a fantastic experience.

“I was really excited to be announced as the Young Slimmer of the Year in my area so to make it through to the national stages was brilliant,” he said.

“There were 30 of us there at the final and I made it into the last six. And it was great to meet Ryan, he’s a really confident bloke and shared some great stories with us.”

He added that losing weight with Slimming World was easy because there is always something you can eat, so he never had to go hungry.

He also thanked everyone at the Carlisle group for supporting him over the past 12 months.

Although he has reached his target weight he said he will never go back to his old ways and will still go to the classes every few weeks.

Although Hayley didn’t make it into the final round she said it was a fantastic honour to be picked to represent the area.

She said: “It was amazing when I found out Adam and myself were representing the 29 groups in Cumbria and 5,500 groups nationwide. Meeting Ryan was brilliant. He was interested in all our stories and gave me a hug. He’s even more gorgeous in real life than on the TV.”

And the soap hunk was equally impressed with Hayley, saying: “She is an inspiration. She looks stunning now.

“What they have achieved at such a young age is phenomenal.

“It’s so inspiring to meet young people who have transformed their lives and health in such a positive way.”

To find out about Slimming World groups in Cumbria call 0844 897 8000 or visit www.slimmingworld.com