A morbidly obese 23-year-old who never owned a bikini and feared she would ‘eat herself to death’ tried 15 diets before shedding half her bodyweight in a YEAR – and now loves wearing crop tops.
Alicia Hooper was so gripped by an insatiable addiction to binge eating she would gorge on ice cream, cookies and burgers daily – ballooning to 120kg and a dress size 22.
But the brunette beauty shed six dress sizes to a svelte size 10 after she lost a whopping 56kg in a year thanks to gastric sleeve surgery which shrunk her stomach to a quarter of its previous size when 10 years of fad dieting failed.
Alicia, from Seattle, US, who before ate 5,000 calories a day and could only wear yoga leggings as nothing else would fit her, now loves shopping for tight-fitting denim jeans and crop-tops – and recently wore a bikini for the first time.
The determined social worker was in denial about her size until she underwent a physical examination with her GP and saw paperwork classifying her as morbidly obese.
Alicia said: ‘I would never feel full. My version of being full was feeling like my stomach was going to explode and being unable to move.
‘I had an emotional attachment to food – I’d eat anything and everything.
‘I’d go out and have giant Frappuccino’s and eat ice cream directly from the tub. I’d have cookie cough or eat straight up bread and cheese, and I’d eat at least three giant bowls of sugary cereal in one sitting.
‘I always avoided mirrors and would try not to see reflections of myself because it would just depress me.’
Alicia lost an incredible 35kg in the first six months after having the surgery, and the weight continued to melt off from there.
With 75 per cent of her stomach removed from the surgery, the young woman’s serving sizes reduced dramatically, which Alicia said repaired her relationship with food.
The inspirational young woman also works out for 90 minutes three times a week, which includes a challenging mix of weight training and cardio.
Now Alicia has swapped all her frumpy size 20-22 clothes and is more confident than ever flaunting her stunning new size 10 -12 figure.
And with 56kg gone forever, Alicia said she is ‘happier and healthier’ than ever and feels comfortable in her own skin.
The surgery has even helped her reduce her weekly grocery shop, which has gone from $100 to just $40.
Alicia’s diet before
Breakfast: Big bowl of cereal (300 calories) and a large Frappuccino drink from Starbucks (550 calories).
Snack: A breakfast sandwich (400 calories) and a cheese Danish (250 calories).
Lunch: Takeaway burger meal with chips and drink (1000 calories).
Snack: crackers, chips and cookies all throughout the day (700 calories).
Dinner: Giant pad Thai or pizza (1000 calories).
Dessert: Lots of sweets and ice cream throughout the night (800 calories).
Total calories: 5,000
Alicia’s diet now
Breakfast: Oatmeal and a banana (300 calories).
Snack: Vegetables and rice cakes or a protein shake (150 calories).
Lunch: Healthy chicken salad (400 calories).
Dinner: Lean white protein like chicken or fish with rice and vegetables (450 calories).
Dessert: Fruit (100 calories).
Total calories: 1,400
