A mum who was told she was too heavy for weight loss surgery has managed to lose a whopping 17 stone by following a strict diet.
Laura Cain, 34, suffered a series of traumatic experiences and soon her weight shot up, and before she knew it she weighed 30 stone and needed medical help, as the Liverpool Echo reports.
But she was told an operation would be too risky so she would have to lose the weight through diet and exercise, so, for the sake of her family, Laura ditched the takeaways.
She started eating home-cooked meals, skipped the snacks, and joined Slimming World for the additional motivation - and soon she lost 17 stone.
What do you think about Laura's journey? Let us know in the comments...
At her lowest point, Laura feared she might not have long left to live as her gruelling health battles and growing weight left her so poorly she was unable to take her son, nine-year-old Domanic, to school.
She suffered with swine flu and was placed on life support, and was barely able to leave the house when she finally recovered.
Laura, from Southport, Merseyside, said: "I have gone from not being able to walk Dom to school to doing things with him like going into Liverpool to enjoy a day out and doing other fun things.
"I have started volunteering at a baby group and at Dom’s school and at a toddler group. I love it, meeting new people, and building my confidence.
"My life has changed so much mentally and physically but most of all I can now be the mum I’ve always wanted to be to my son, Dom. I can take him to fun places, and I can walk with him to his school, at Marshside Primary in Southport.
"My health still isn't 100 per cent - I still suffer with brittle asthma and fibromyalgia but at least I am not a ticking time bomb at 30 stone. Dom is amazing. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. He is the reason why I never gave up.
"I shared a face to face picture on Facebook recently, comparing an old picture with a new one. Even though I was smiling on the old one, it wasn't a real smile because behind it I was hurting, embarrassed and in pain. I felt stuck.
"I'm so happy and proud now it's so overwhelming, especially when people stop me in town. I can't believe I have lost over 17 stone."
Laura changed her diet completely to hit her weight loss goals, as she previously enjoyed takeaways and eating out, and indulged too much in things like bread, barm cakes, butter, and chocolate alongside her cups of tea.
Now she enjoys grape nuts or Weetabix for breakfast with yoghurt or semi-skimmed milk; tuna with salad or jacket potato for lunch; and then Slimming World curry or chilli for dinner.
When she had dropped the weight, Laura was ready for the operation. She said: "I was so scared and nervous. I had never had surgery before.
"All I kept thinking was that I was doing this for my health and to be here to see my son grow up. If it wasn't for Dom, I wouldn't be here.
"Every morning I woke up and I kept saying ‘I have to get up, I can't give up, because I'm doing this for Domanic’. So I had surgery. I had a gastric sleeve which basically meant they removed two thirds of my stomach. It has made my stomach smaller so I can't eat as much.
“I could still eat badly if I wanted to, but I don't."
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