A woman lost an incredible 14 stones after doctors told her her lungs were being crushed under her own weight.
Jess Gould piled on the pounds after getting hooked on burgers and pizzas washed down with bottles of full-fat coke.
At her heaviest, the 29-year-old tipped the scales at 24st 1lb and wore a size 28 after years of gorging on junk food after being trapped in an abusive relationship.
READ MORE: Mum who ballooned to 20 stone didn't recognise herself in photos
She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia – a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.
Her health deteriorated so much her doctors told her lungs were being crushed under her own weight.
Through a combination of exercise and a low-fat diet, Jess managed to shed an incredible 14st 4lbs in just one year.
But despite now weighing a trim 9st 9lbs and shrinking to a size 10, the support worker has been left with around 15 pounds of excess skin which she says “swings” whenever she walks.
Jess, from Bredon, Worcs., 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.”
She has now turned to the kindness of strangers, and is crowdfunding £31,000 for an operation to remove the excess 'saggy' skin.
In January 2019 she finally decided to take drastic action and ditched fast-food in favour of vegetables, rice and brown toast.
She said: "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.
“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.
“As the weight started to slowly drop off I felt proud. It was working.
“Soon I had dropped a dress size and I started to feel more confident glancing at myself in the mirror.”
Jess, who lives with partner James, 33, now hopes to raise enough money to pay a private clinic to have her loose skin removed.
She said: "It causes a lot of discomfort.
"The skin can throw me off balance if it swings as I walk. It's like carrying a heavy duvet around my middle.
“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 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 changes
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: Oats and fruit.
- Lunch : Chicken and tomato paste wrap.
- Dinner: Low-fat curry and rice.
- Snacks: Fruit and veg.
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