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She felt that she had lost control of her life and locked herself away from the world. It was a tragic scenario for a bright young woman who was just 21 years old.

Sophie Fox, from Belper, weighed more than 20 stone at her heaviest, suffered from depression and fibromyalgia which left her in constant pain.

To make matters worse, she had to be rushed to hospital with kidney failure and ended up in a high-dependency renal unit. Following her discharge, her seizures started.

Sophie had worked as a childminder and nursery nurse, but the non-epileptic seizures prevented her from carrying on. She was soon having up to 20 seizures a day, thought by doctors to be her body's reaction to her kidney failure.

Going out became a problem and she started to withdraw into herself.

The 25-year-old said: "The depression hit hard and I was never comfortable. My weight made it difficult for people to help me get up off the floor if I had a seizure and so I wouldn't go out.

"Doctors thought that the seizures were like post-traumatic stress after my illness and I had counselling and therapy. That did help, but not enough."

After more than three years in a downward spiral, the turning point for Sophie came early this year when she was persuaded by a friend to join Slimming World.

"One of my friends said they were going to join and I went along and something in me made me want to keep going. After a few months, I'd lost two stone by replacing takeaways, crisps and chocolate with fresh food.

"Then I decided I needed to start improving my fitness and found out about Booticamp Babes. I checked with my doctor to make sure it was okay for me to go," she said.

(Image: Derby Telegraph)

Booticamp Babes run exercise classes run by women for women of all shapes and sizes.

After getting a doctor's note to confirm she could start exercising with the group, it took three weeks for Sophie to pluck up the courage to go to her first session. It was a massive step for someone who had become so withdrawn.

"WOW," said Sophie.

"I loved it. It was hard, but I did it at my own pace with the support of everyone in the group. There are all sorts of exercises and it's never the same. Burpees, running, squats, all sorts. They do games and challenges and there's loads of support when I'm struggling."

There are even exercises involving spacehoppers at the Belper sessions that are held at Whitemore, in John O'Gaunts Way, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Combining her new healthier diet with regular exercise with her new friends has transformed Sophie's life and seen her lose nearly five stone and drop an astonishing ten dress sizes.

"I feel so much better. My fitness levels are higher. It has given me a social life, freedom, control, strength, weight loss. My seizures have reduced too," said Sophie.

(Image: Derby Telegraph)

She has come a long way, but is determined to reach her target weight of 10 stone 7lbs.

The number of seizure she's having has reduced as well. From having 20 a day, she can go three or four days without one.

"Yes, I still have bad days, but one thing I know for sure is that if I push through and get to the exercise sessions I'll leave with a smile on my face, especially if the session includes spacehoppers."

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