A WOMAN lost an incredible 11 stone after she was too embarrassed to ask for a seatbelt extender on a flight.
Sarah Speight, who tipped the scales at 25st and 1lb, wore size 28 clothes and indulged in a diet heavy with fast food favourites like pizza, chocolate cake, and McDonald's, while avoiding exercise.
The turning point for Sarah came when she felt too ashamed to request a seatbelt extender on a plane, instead pretending her belt was securely fastened.
After trying "every diet" without success, Sarah chose to have a gastric band fitted, shelling out £11k to bypass NHS waiting times.
Now weighing a svelte 13st 8lbs and fitting into a size 14, Sarah, from Stalybridge, says she feels "amazing" but has also noticed a stark change in how others perceive her.
The 35-year-old fraud investigator said: "I got a feeling that people would walk past me and say 'look at the size of her.' It gets in your head.
"People would just stare at you and wouldn't say hello or anything. It was like I was in some kind of freak show. Now, people tend to smile at you more. They say hi, I feel like you're treated like a normal person.
"I find that people interact a lot more with me. They'll talk to you and let on and smile at you, whereas before nobody batted an eyelid.
"The more people notice just makes you feel so good about yourself. And it's something I'm not used to because I've never had that."
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Under pressure! Blues boss suggests side is feeling heat
PEP Guardiola accepted that the pressure got to City on and off the pitch on Saturday with a Premier League top four finish still up in the air after drawing with Brighton.
Insult to injury as Pep laments more players facing spell out
PEP Guardiola lamented more Manchester City injuries as his Premier League champions stumbled again in the race for Champions League qualification.
How women are getting a fairer hearing in the courts
IT HAS been over 100 years since the first woman was called to the Bar in 1922. Ivy Williams was the first woman to qualify as a barrister, and whilst she did not practice, she did go on to teach law.
LET THEM EAT CAKE!
Queues go round the block as viral bakery outlet offers 1,000 free slices
There's no let up for Leicester as boss demands a winning habit
RUBEN Amorim says United must continue with humility and hunger as they head to Ruud van Nistelrooy's relegation-threatened Leicester.
QUICK SALES PITCH
Chris Slater find out what residents think of the neighbourhood where houses sell faster than anywhere else in Greater Manchester
They took out 200 cancerous lumps - but I'm proud of my scars
How Saskia, 24, shared her story with millions
Mistakes are costing City dear as top four sliding out of view
NOT for the first time this season, Fabian Delph came to mind.
Family's anguish as police probe mystery death
'Our Rick had a heart of gold. He was known and loved by many'
Anniversary of Cameron 'hate' claim
IT'S nearly the ten year anniversary of a memorable political story: the day David Cameron was caught on a microphone saying Yorkshire people \"hate each other\".
