ONE of the highlights of every Christmas Day is undoubtedly tucking into that delicious Christmas dinner, trimmings and all.

And who can say no to the flurry of sweet treats which inevitably follows in the days and weeks after the big day?

Well, for two Helensburgh residents, Christmas this year was much more about health and happiness than rich food.

David Hannah, 51, and 54-year-old Beth Macintosh have shared their remarkable weight loss journeys throughout 2018 in the hope of inspiring others to follow suit.

And they believe it’s important to let people know what is possible if they reconsider delving into another box of festive chocolates.

Handyman David weighed more than 18st at the start of the year and admitted he was “killing” himself with his eating habits, which had led to breathing issues, sore joints and low self-esteem.

He started with WW (formerly Weight Watchers) in February and quickly turned his life around.

He said: “I wasn’t in a good place. I’d had enough of feeling ill constantly, and I and only I had to do something about my weight.

“I eat a much healthier diet now, I snack smarter and stay away from the sweets.

“It wasn’t just about losing weight, it was also about being able to do the things that I was never able to do before or could do in short bursts before becoming out of breath and having to stop.”

David’s healthy eating programme and fitness regime seen him lose five stone and he now enjoys walking and cycling regularly, as well as spending more time with his number one fan.

He added: “On top of all this new-found activity, my wife is a happy lady.

“She has also found the benefits as we both started to eat healthier together, and this was just something we didn’t do before.

“Thanks to losing my weight, I’m fitter, healthier, I can do activities I couldn’t do before, and I have a happier, healthier wife. What more could a man ask for?”

Beth volunteers at the Helensburgh Dementia Resource Centre and decided to change her unhealthy routine after getting fed up of being constantly tired.

She said: “I saw a photograph of myself and I didn’t like what I saw, and I had also booked to do the West Highland Way in August.

“I knew if I was still carrying extra weight the walk would be quite difficult for me, as I would be out of breath, and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t in that position.”

Beth has lost three stone since May and says the benefits of her new lifestyle are huge.

She added: “I have dropped from a size 16 to a size 12. I love clothes shopping, but my favourite purchase has been finally getting a wetsuit two sizes smaller.

“I’ve started open water swimming along with my husband and I just didn’t have the confidence to do this before. It’s great we can now do this as a couple.

“I also walked the West Highland Way - all 96 miles - and loved every minute of it. I just wished I’d done this 10 years earlier.”