By Scott Thompson
WOMAN says being overweight LIMITED her SEX LIFE, leaving her only able to do ONE POSITION because others hurt her knees â but sheâs a different woman after losing an impressive TEN STONE.
Duty manager, Kaitlyn Gonzalez (27) from One Mile, New South Wales, Australia, had learned to eat in excess as a child as she wasnât allowed to eat dessert until her overflowing dinner plate was finished.
She was bullied in school but although her mother Kerry made her healthy packed lunches she tucked into unhealthy food when she returned home and by the age of 11 the weight had started to build.
Having full access to whatever food she wanted at home meant unhealthy choices as she grew up and she would often skip breakfast and have McDonalds regularly.
Kaitlyn tipped the scales at 22st 11lb and wore a UK size 22, she was in denial about her size, but was reduced to tears whenever she saw her reflection.
Her love life took a hit and she was rejected due to her size and strangers would point and shout at her in the street, telling her she was fat. Kaitlyn went on nights out with her smaller friends and was ignored by men.
In May 2017 she chose to have vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) surgery. Kaitlyn put a large emphasis on fitness after that and worked out every day, she also started eating more lean meats and lots of vegetables and within just one year she lost 10st 10lb and now weighs just 12st 1lb and wears a UK size eight.
Kaitlyn also struggled with excess skin and had two operations to have 7lb removed in February 2019 and a breast lift in October 2019.
âMy father left when I was three, so it was just my brother Nic and mother Kerry when growing up. We had a close-knit family with no dramas. Mum was a single mother with a small business so we didnât have a lot growing up, but we had enough,â Kaitlyn said.
âIt all started when we were told we couldnât eat dessert until we finished our dinner. We always got a full plate of food so pretty much gorged ourselves so we could eat dessert. I was also bullied from age seven at school and although I was always given healthy packed lunches, I came home and ate whatever I wanted.
âWhen I went to high school things got worse and I started being home schooled and the weight started to increase because I had free reign to everything in the kitchen.
âAs I grew older Iâd be late night snacking ice cream, chocolate and soft drinks from the service station and I always skipped breakfast. I also liked frequenting McDonalds where Iâd always get a large McChicken meal and McFlurry.
âBeing 22st 11lb was hard, but I was in denial about it. I honestly didnât realise how big I actually was. Whenever I saw myself on security cameras or in windows walking past shops, I felt my stomach sink. I would look at myself and cry, felling depressed and like I wasnât worth being treated right because I mistreated myself.
âI couldnât run, I wouldnât wear skirts as my thighs rubbed so badly they would bleed, I wouldnât go shopping with friends, I couldnât ride a rollercoaster and I even struggled putting on socks and shoes.
âAlthough it didnât cause extreme issues in my love life I was limited to one position because other positions hurt my knees and I worried about my stomach touching them.
âWhen I went to a uni day I remember standing there and a guy about ten metres away pointed at me and yelled âoh my god, sheâs so fat!â I cried but thankfully he did apologise after. Iâve also had men tell me they would date me if I wasnât so big.
âI was always going out with my tiny and pretty friend and all the boys wanted her, I got no attention and felt out of place. I literally woke up one morning and said Iâm done with being fat and I booked an appointment with my doctor to see a surgeon.
âIn May 2017 I had 80 per cent of my stomach removed through VSG surgery and I changed my diet dramatically to include lots of lean meats and vegetables. I exercised every single day and got a personal trainer and made fitness the focus of my life. Every day I did something whether walking my dog on the beach or climbing a nearby mountain.
âJust twelve months after starting my journey I brought my weight right down to 10st 10lb.
âIn February 2019 I also had an operation to have some excess skin removed weighing 7lb. The skin was red and itchy and bounced around when I walked. I also had a breast lift in October 2019 because they had deflated so much that I got rashes underneath.â
Those around Kaitlyn are in total shock when she tells them how much weight she has lost as they thought she carried it well.
Kaitlyn shares tips to her friends and family on how she managed to transform her body and life.
âLosing weight has changed my life because if I hadnât have had the surgery to kick start me, Iâd probably have diabetes or be close to dead now. I can walk into any clothing store, pull something off the rack and it fits me. Iâm more active, people definitely respond to me better and I get more enjoyment out of every day,â Kaitlyn continued.
âI love how far Iâve come I love how much effort Iâve put in to coming this far. I do still look at myself sometimes and see the bigger girl however I now look in the mirror and be like âdamn, skinny!â. Every day is different, but I know inside Iâve done so well.
âPeople are shocked when I tell them how much Iâve lost. They say âwow thatâs a whole personâ I work in retail and get lots of regular customers who say I look amazing but that they didnât think I was that big before.
âTo those who donât know where to start, I really suggest thinking about where you want to be. Donât look at models but do look for people whose shape and fitness levels you like. Itâs not going to be about being skinny, but it is about being fit, strong and healthy.
âDo your own research on surgery if thatâs what you want to do. For me it just clicked. You donât need to know where to start but just start somewhere. Losing weight isnât easy but the rewards are huge. Do this for yourself, you deserve to be happy in your skin. What you did before doesnât matter, just take the steps to better yourself from this day forward.
You can follow Kaitlynâs story on Instagram
