Mum left with a 3st ‘puddle’ of loose belly skin after 10st weight loss finally has it removed after becoming ‘sick of pretending to be happy’
A BRAVE mum has opened up about how she had SIX FEET of loose skin removed from her tummy so she could be a better parent.
Amanda Roberts had a gastric bypass after tipping the scales at 23 stone - and realising that she was kidding herself pretending she was a happy plus-size person.
The 23-year-old, who had her daughter in 2014, said: "When Talia started walking, I could barely keep up with her.
"I had such intense back pains from my weight that I could barely carry her, and even just playing on the ground with her exhausted me.
"I knew that I'd have to get my health on track if I wanted to be the best mum I could be for her."
Motherhood helped Amanda see that her lifestyle choices weren't just affecting her - but her child's future health and happiness.
She added: "For a long time, I thought I felt OK. It wasn't until after I had my daughter that I realised how depressed I really was.
"I had tried so many ways to lose weight that never worked, so I had pretty much given up on trying and was ready to just live contently as a plus size person.
"I shut myself in the house all of the time, didn't want to go anywhere, didn't want to talk to anyone, mostly because I was ashamed of how much weight I had gained.
"There is a period of about five years where I REFUSED to be in almost any pictures, so I have very few pictures with my daughter the first year of her life.
"I was just tired and unhappy, and that's not how I wanted to be as a mom and person, especially since I was only 21 years old."
Amanda started by overhauling her diet, ditching junk food and sugary drinks, and having weightloss surgery.
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She lost 10 stone in 18 months, but her rapid change of shape meant she was left with three stones' worth of excess skin hanging from her stomach, legs and arms.
Undeterred, she asked friends and strangers for cash and raised £7740 ($10,000) for skin removal surgery.
When she reached her target, she went under the knife and had SIX FEET of skin removed from her stomach thanks to a fleur de lis tummy tuck.
Amanda now weighs a trim 12.8 st, and will soon head to Tijuana in Mexico for more skin removal surgery on her arms, back and breasts - which she hopes will put an end to the rashes and sores caused from the loose skin.
But Amanda, from Temecula in California, is keen to state that her change in appearance was down to more than just a surgeon.
She said: "I have worked HARD to change my entire lifestyle.
"I went from eating junk food and living a very sedentary life, to now eating a high protein, low carb diet and working out 5-6 days a week.
"The weight came off easy at first, but now that I am almost 3 years post op, maintaining the weight loss and losing more is getting more difficult.
"After about 18 months post op, the effects of the gastric bypass start to wear off and it's basically relying on your new healthy lifestyle to keep you going."
Her new lease of life hasn't only made her a better mum, it's made her a better role model, and she is now preaching self-love and acceptance to other people through her Instagram account, .
She said:" I'm more confident than ever!
"I know I've worked HARD for my current body, and that makes me love it that much more!
"I've always tried my best to practice self-love. That is part of what got me started on my journey to health, and what most of my IG posts are about.
"I learned to love myself at 330lbs, at 180lbs with loose skin.
"Always consult with your doctor to find the best route to find health for yourself, but I always tell people that finding self-love BEFORE starting their health journey is the best way.
"If you love yourself, you'll want to improve yourself and be the best you can be."
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