A woman who has 15 pounds (almost 7kg) of excess skin after losing weight is trying to raise funds to have it removed.
Jess Gould previously weighed 24 stone and was a size 28 for many years.
But after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia – a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body – the 29-year-old decided to get into shape.
Her determination saw her shed 14st 4lbs in just one year – through a combination of exercise and a low-fat diet.
Now a size 10 and 9st 9lbs, Jess is left with excess skin that ‘swings’ whenever she walks.
As a result, she’s hoping to fund an operation to remove it – with donations from her GoFundMe page.
Jess, from Bredon, said: ‘I still see myself as largely overweight due to the skin and it has got me down. I had thought of cutting the skin off myself.
‘I’ve lost all the weight through exercise and diet but I really need help to get the body I really want.
‘At one point I was basically bed bound but I still exercised using arm and leg machines.
‘It’s been really hard work but I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved.’
Jess found herself eating junk food – such as burgers, pizzas and bottles of full-fat coke – and putting on weight when she was in a previous abusive relationship.
She adds: ‘I was basically eating from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep. I ate everything basically from chocolate to fast-food to snacks.’
Her health deteriorated so much that doctors told Jess her lungs were being crushed under her own weight.
As a result, in January 2019 she decided to make a lifestyle change – but this wasn’t without its challenges.
Jess continues: ‘My illnesses meant I could hardly move, sometimes it was so bad I couldn’t even lift my head and my weight made it even worse.
‘Even on my good days I couldn’t do much – so exercising along with my diet was a hard feat. But I did what I could.
‘I bought a foot pedal and I would sit on my sofa and pedal away for as long as I could.
‘It would exhaust me and I’d crash out for the afternoon or the next day.’
‘Soon I had dropped a dress size and I started to feel more confident glancing at myself in the mirror.’
Jess now hopes to raise enough money to get the excess skin removed – something that causes her a lot of daily discomfort.
She explains that she wants to have the operation done privately, so she’s not ‘a burden on the NHS’ – and needs to raise £31,000 as a result.
‘The skin can throw me off balance if it swings as I walk. It’s like carrying a heavy duvet around my middle,’ Jess adds.
‘I have to wear waist trainers and shapewear all the time to hold it in place which are often painful and uncomfortable.
‘I’ve lost all the weight on my own and I’m determined to have the operation to remove the skin without being a burden on the NHS.’
The 29-year-old also hopes her story will inspire others to make a change.
She continues: ‘The reason I put the weight on was because I was in an abusive relationship. I want to show people in similar situations that it is possible to change your life and lifestyle.
‘I just need a bit of help to get me where I want to be.’
Jess’ diet before and after:
Before:
Breakfast: Buttery toast covered in honey and sugary cereal.
Lunch: Ready meal burgers, pie or chips.
Dinner: Domino’s pizza with full-fat coke
Snacks: Crisps, chocolates, cookies
Now:
Breakfast: Oat and fruit.
Lunch: Chicken and tomato paste wrap.
Dinner: Low-fat curry and rice.
Snacks: Fruit and veg.
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