Their stories and their efforts are inspirational and have put them in the running to be named Weight Watcher of the Year.

It is also proof the war on weight can be won.

They're in Sydney for a week of pampering and promotions as finalists of this year's Weight Watchers' Healthy Life Awards.

For Jessica Arnot, it has been a long road to the top. As she was overcoming her addiction to food - her mother was losing her battle with drugs.

“I had my mum die through my journey, so that was really difficult, but I just kept on going. My uncle passed away after I reached my goal - I could have gone backwards and gone back to eating bad as well, but my family wouldn't of wanted that," Jess said.

“I feel like a winner already. We are all winners. I don't know who will win, I don't know what is going to make them pick the winner, but I feel like we are all already winners."

Jess was eating junk food three times a day but kicked the habit and two years on, she has shed 43 kilograms - 40 per cent of her body weight.

“I was pretty much living a miserable sad life and now i am living a happy life that is the same as my personality," Jess said.

• Giving up sugar
• All you can eat Dukan
• Kick Start diet rebooted
• University's science diet

Every finalist has a heart wrenching story - but for 26-year-old Kristen Leads, being overweight as a mother was too much to bare.

“She was only a baby when I had put on my weight, so she kind of sat still, so that wasn't too bad. But I could never get down on the ground and if I could, I couldn't get back up off the ground. So now, I can do all those things and I can fit down the slide so that is pretty fun," Kristin said.

The final straw was when she saw a photo on facebook and she didn't recognise herself. Within 17 months she had lost 38 kilograms.

“I didn't even notice I had changed so much weight-wise until I had seen that photo and I thought, 'That is not me', and the next day I started a new life," Kristin said.

Laura Gurnett from Weight Watchers is part of a team of judges charged with the task of selecting the overall winner.

“All of the stories stood out in some way, whether it was some of the weight they had lost, whether it was about their journey, they all had a special something that really stood out," Laura said.

“We are looking for different things, we are looking for the amount of weight loss, we are also looking for whether they have seen any health improvements. We are looking for the impact it has had on friends and family and a point of difference," Laura said.

As Melissa Matthews says, their stories might all be different but the message is the same.

“Just make the decision to do it. If you have 5 kilos to lose, 10 kilos to lose, just look at me for inspiration. If I can lose 70 kilograms anyone can get out there and give it a go," Melissa said.

• Weight Watchers' Healthy Life Awards www.healthylifeawards.com.au/
• Weight Watchers www.weightwatchers.com.au