Meet the Mail's Slimming Champions

The Mail has chosen five people from East Yorkshire who are determined to lose weight to act as champions for everyone who signs up to our fantastic new slimmers website.

All five individuals have recognised they need to shed a few pounds and get in shape for 2009 and have put their own weight loss in the spotlight.

Each champion, who nominated themselves for the challenge by telling us their motivation for losing weight, will follow one of the five online diet and healthy eating plans for 13 weeks.

The site, which is due to go live in January, will offer all adults the chance to tone up in time for summer with the help and support of health experts.

There are five different plans to choose from, designed to fit in with your lifestyle, because we know a modern life means people might have to eat on the run, cater for a large family or fit life around work.

And because no foods are forbidden, slimmers can enjoy all their favourite treats without compromising their quest for weight loss.

Claire Walker, 26, of Holme Church Lane, Beverley, is a single mother of Tiegan, four, and has a busy social life.

She has volunteered to follow the Socialite plan, which is designed for people with a big social element to their lives and who drink and eat out most weeks.

With this plan, slimmers will not be asked to compromise their social life to lose weight.

Claire currently weighs just over 12 stone, but would like to weigh about 10 stone.

She said: "I'd like to lose weight to help my confidence. I don't always feel comfortable in my clothes and I want to feel good within myself."

Father-of-two Steve Holmes, 26, of Greenwood Avenue, north Hull, is the only male champion. He will follow the Family Friendly diet plan.

Marcia Vannucci 51, of west Hull, has signed up for the Just Me plan, Lyn Kenny, 51, of Beverley, will follow the Busy Bee plan, and Wendy Drury, 49, of east Hull, will use the My Way plan.

Each champion will appear on our slimming website and in weekly features in the Mail. We will follow their progress through the 13-week plan as they give their all to achieve their goals.

The slimmers will also keep diaries on the website where you can follow their progress.

And to thank them for their dedication, the five champions will receive a makeover when the programme is complete.