Woman who lost a staggering 14 stone is unrecognisable to friends and family
A woman who struggled with severe obesity says her dramatic weight loss transformation has left family, friends - and even herself - barely able to recognise her.
Bullied throughout her school years and cruelly labelled a "whale" by classmates, Paige Vickers, 25, from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, found herself trapped in a vicious cycle of binge eating and dieting.
A self-confessed junk food addict, she regularly consumed two McDonald's breakfasts a day, along with takeaways, crisps, and chocolate. It comes after a man claimed 'I lost 10st in a year without jabs, surgery or going to the gym'.
Despite trying various weight-loss methods, including numerous diets and exercise routines, nothing would shift the weight.
While struggling with her eating habits, she would often turn to Greggs or McDonald's for breakfast. After years of disappointment and frustration, Paige decided to take control of her health and happiness.
She began researching weight-loss surgery and ultimately booked a gastric sleeve operation in Turkey, paying £3,000 for the procedure in June 2023.
Just over a year later, Paige has lost an astonishing 14 stone, shrinking from a UK size 28 to a size 10. Her transformation has stunned not only strangers but those closest to her.
"It is a shock - it's like my partner has a new girlfriend," Paige said. "Even my family still have to double-check it's me. They can't believe how quickly I've changed."
The transformation has been so significant that friends often fail to recognise her in public. "It's so funny how many times I've walked through town and passed old friends who didn't even realise it was me. They're absolutely gobsmacked."
Despite being thrilled with her results, Paige's journey was far from easy. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a teenager, which made it even more difficult to manage her weight.
'Since I was a teen, I've always struggled with my weight,' she explained. 'PCOS caused my weight to constantly fluctuate. It took a toll on me. I got bullied a lot, and in arguments people would always go straight for my size. It wears you down.'
Paige credits her partner, Matthew Wilkinson, 25, for supporting her throughout her journey. The couple met through mutual friends nearly two years ago, when Paige was at her heaviest.
"My partner has been incredible. We found each other at the right time. He stood by me through everything,' she said. 'We always joke and say we've stuck together through thick and thin - literally.'
Now bursting with confidence, Paige recently shared her transformation in a TikTok video that went viral, racking up more than 445,000 views and over 30,000 likes. Many users flooded the comments praising her for her dedication.
One user wrote, 'Omg girl, you look amazing!' while another said, 'You look brilliant - hope you're super proud of yourself.' A third person simply commented: 'Impossible.'
However, not all the responses were kind. As with many online success stories, cruel trolls soon followed. Paige, who describes herself as 'thick-skinned' and sarcastic, wasn't fazed.
'Some people have said my boyfriend's going to leave me now because he clearly has a fetish for bigger women. But it's just the usual rubbish from troll - it's nearly always single men anyway.'
Reflecting on her transformation, Paige said she never imagined she'd reach her current weight. 'I'm buzzing about it. I didn't even think I'd get down to 14 stone, never mind under 10. It's honestly changed my life.'
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