Real life weight loss: How this woman lost 160lbs after throwing out her deep-fat fryer

A woman who incredibly lost half her body weight finally gets surgery to remove her excess skin. Steph O’Shea, 28, has gone from 21 stone (294lbs) to just under 10 stone (140lbs) after radically changing her lifestyle. 

Throwing out her deep fat fryer and embracing a healthy lifestyle, swapping high-carbohydrate, greasy fast food with lean meats and greens, O'Shea also began working out at the gym, using equipment such as the best elliptical machines to slim down and tone up. The end result was a mammoth weight loss, leaving her with lot of loose skin she had to have removed. 

O'Shea told our sibling YouTube channel, Truly: “I’ve always been big; mom was having to get school uniforms especially made for me because nowhere stocked clothes to fit a child that young at such a big size.” 

Before she lost weight she “was running out of room" in size 24 trousers. But one day something clicked to spur on her weight loss journey. At a New Year’s Eve celebration she went to have a photo taken with her partner in her kitchen doorway. However, she couldn’t fit, and the pair had to stand side-on. After her friend uploaded the picture to Facebook she says, “that was when it hit me.” 

Watch Steph O'Shea's inspiring weight loss story below

She started by building up her strength at the gym using elliptical machines as well as the best rowing machines. “I’ve gone from walking to the fridge and back to going to the gym three times a week for an hour.” Elliptical machines and rowers are low-impact, making them perfect for beginners to burn calories and build muscle without putting stress on your joints.

Diet was also factored into her new regime; she threw out her deep fat fryer, replacing greasy meals with lean meats and vegetables. For starters, you can stop frying foods in inches of saturated fats and pick up an air fryer, which uses a fraction of the fat content to evenly coat and fry your favorites. Check out our best air fryer list for more.  

But Steph still didn’t look how she wanted after losing half her bodyweight. Her skin became baggy and her confidence dipped. She says life became even more difficult than before. Steph explains how she finally had excess skin removal surgery in Lithuania. 

She has mostly been staying at home since the surgery to recover, and has only been wearing loose garments when going outdoors. But now her scars are starting to heal and she can see the results.