Woman's life changed forever when she was too embarrassed to ask for help on a flight

A woman lost an incredible 11 stone after she was too mortified to ask for a seatbelt extender on a flight, revealing that since shedding the weight, she's now treated like a "normal person".

Sarah Speight, who tipped the scales at 25st and 1lb wearing a size 28, 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.

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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 shared: "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."

Sarah confessed that she had battled with her weight throughout her life, and "always knew" she was "big", but her weight escalated when she reached her 20s.

Despite numerous attempts at dieting over the years, nothing seemed to work for her.

She admitted: "Vegetables weren't really my thing, it was always always junk and I just couldn't stop. It was a massive addiction that I had. In most cases I could probably quite happily eat a full pizza in one go and still not be full.

"I was never one for the gym, the thought of exercise terrified me. I hated the thought of going out, or going shopping - I'd rather stay in on my own.

"I had to look at shops online where they cater for bigger sizes and didn't have much choice in what I wore. I had to go for whatever would fit me as opposed to what I liked. I didn't really have a life to be honest. I hated going out, I would avoid all social situations."

"I lost a lot of friends through it because I'd never made time to bother with anybody. I would literally just sit on my own in my room at home just avoiding contact with anyone."

Sarah decided to make a lifestyle change in January 2023 while on holiday in Iceland.

She recalled: "I was going to Iceland and had to sit near the window because I was so embarrassed to ask for a seatbelt extender. I had to pretend that my seat belt looked like it was fastened when it wasn't.

"I had to hold it over me and pretend it was fastened when the flight attendant came past. It was absolutely awful because I thought - I'm the only one squished into my seat. I couldn't move my legs. I was spilling into the person's seat next to me and I just remember thinking this is so embarrassing I can't do this anymore."

Sarah was also told she needed to go on pills for her blood pressure at aged 34 and decided to look into surgery.

"I saved up for surgery," she said. "I paid for half of it with my own money and then financed the rest of it with the hospital. So I paid them back each month.

"I probably could have got it with the NHS, but the waiting list in my area was at least five years. You have to lose weight beforehand which I couldn't do, and you also have to attend appointments every week with work which I couldn't commit to."

She underwent gastric band surgery in February 2023 at Alexandra Hospital, Stockport, and has lost 11st 7lbs in a year. She has changed up her diet to a balanced one and hits the gym twice a day.

Now Sarah is 13st 8lbs and a size 14 and feels "amazing" and "a lot more confident".

"It's completely changed my life," she said.

"I've now got new friends and a new love for the gym which I never thought I'd say. My confidence is now through the roof. Everything is just amazing.

"It's the best money I've ever spent. And I would still really recommend it. If anybody's in the same situation as me, it's 100% of the best thing I've ever done and I've got no regrets whatsoever."

Diet before - Breakfast - Bacon sandwiches, bread Lunch - Pizza, ice cream cake Dinner - Macdonald's, chocolate cake, crisps Snacks - Crisps, biscuits, cheese, chocolate drink - Full fat Coca Cola, lemonade.

Diet after - Breakfast - Cheerios, Weetabix or porridge with blueberries Lunch - Small tuna sandwich Dinner - Chicken and vegetables Snacks - Low fat yoghurt, one slice of cheeseDrinks - Protein shake, water.

Exercise regime - Three hours of exercise every day. Morning, one hour of 'freestyle': stairmaster, the rowing machine, the treadmill and the cross trainer Evening, two hours of classes.