The hurdles were many: she was pre-diabetic; in severe pain from a lower back injury; was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease; and she had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

“I developed unhealthy eating habits – not having my meals on time [or] skipping them, then eating large portions and not exercising, all of which led to the extra pounds,” Carroll says.

“I was fed up with the way my life was heading, both physically and mentally. I felt I had wasted so many years leading an unhealthy lifestyle and feeling unfit. I did not want to waste any more.”

Over seven months, Carroll – who stands 172 centimetres (5ft 6in) tall – transformed her body by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, losing more than 30kg and dropping eight sizes – from a UK 24 to UK 8-10. She now weighs 69kg.

She had to battle complications from her medical conditions to succeed.

In 2016, she had 10 hours of surgery on her spine to remove two discs to release trapped nerves after an earlier back injury.

In 2020, she was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is a build-up of fat in the liver that is usually seen in people who are overweight.

She had tried several fad diets over the years, but nothing worked. “The weight loss was never sustainable. I would lose a few kilograms and then put the weight back on, or more.”

At her husband’s prompting, she finally joined a gym, Ultimate Performance – but she was hesitant to start.

“I was embarrassed at how much weight I had put on. I didn’t like the way I looked and was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to perform even simple exercises,” she says.

Joseph Ngan was her personal trainer, and put her through hour-long strength training sessions three times a week – keeping her lower back in mind.

Ngan also coached Carroll on her way of eating. She was having one or two meals a day, with quite small portions. He suggested that she eat more to boost her metabolism, in order to counteract her underactive thyroid.

Carroll also cut out fried and processed foods and started having more protein. Now she usually has eggs for breakfast, a lunch of fish or chicken with rice and salad, and chicken or steak (occasionally) with vegetables for dinner.

An app from Ultimate Performance called “Transform” helps her track her exercise levels, how much sleep she is getting, and what she eats and drinks.

It gives a fairly accurate picture of how much protein, carbs, fats and calories she is consuming.

“I used to think that eating less would lead to weight loss. Now I know it’s eating the ‘right’ calories instead of eating ‘less’ calories that matters,” says Carroll, whose body fat fell from 40 per cent to 18 per cent from May to December 2022. She still treats herself to a piece of chocolate cake once in a while.

A regular exercise regimen and a healthy diet brought about a significant improvement in Carroll’s medical conditions, too. She is no longer pre-diabetic, her fatty liver condition has reversed and her underactive thyroid is substantially better.

She takes a lower dose of thyroid medication and gets a blood test annually instead of quarterly.

Her advice to others hoping to lose weight for good is not to give up – and to stay focused on the goal and its rewards.

“The only way to achieve sustainable weight loss is by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some days I didn’t feel like training, but trusting in the process and maintaining momentum was imperative to the final goal.

“As I started to lose weight and get fitter, I felt happier and had a lot more energy, which encouraged me to stay focused,” says Carroll.

“The mental changes for me have been the biggest reward, although clearly the physical transformation is the most visible to others.

“The icing on the cake is a new wardrobe and the compliments I get from family and friends. My husband says that I look like a different person – and jokes that he can get his arms around me twice.”