Childcare worker, 24, reveals how she dropped 67kg in just ONE year

Childcare worker Bay-Lea Wilson was ‘fit and healthy’ all her life until she moved from Sydney to the Gold Coast to study at university. 

After developing a binge eating disorder and falling into unhealthy habits, the 24-year-old tipped the scales at 142kg and found herself in constant pain and felt out of breath after walking anywhere.   

Bay-Lea told Daily Mail Australia it wasn’t until she moved back home four years later that she realised her lifestyle needed to change- and fast.

Today she looks unrecognisable after losing 67kg in just over 12 months and now fits into size 10 clothing instead of 24. 

In 2019 she tipped the scales at 142kg (left) after moving from Sydney to the Gold Coast to study at university. Today she looks unrecognisable (right) and is proud of what she’s achieved 

Bay-Lea confessed she used to gorge on two pizzas and garlic bread, or McDonald’s burgers and ice cream at 11pm every night.  

Living a laid-back university lifestyle, she would sleep in until 11am then have a ‘huge’ meal at 2pm followed by dinner at 6pm. 

‘I was living with others at the time, so my serving sizes for dinner were semi-normal, but then I would go out and binge eat,’ she said. 

At first the binge eating was a coping mechanism used to deal with missing her family and friends back home, then it ‘snowballed’ into social anxiety. 

Bay-Lea would exercise two days a week, but it wasn’t enough to supplement the amount she was consuming.  

It got to the point where she would avoid leaving the house or socialising.

‘Grocery shopping became a massive ordeal because I didn’t want to leave the house, so I’d usually order Uber Eats,’ Bay-Lea said.   

She would exercise two days a week, but it wasn’t enough to supplement the amount she was consuming. 

Bay-Lea said she had previously attempted losing weight but would put it back on.  

In July 2019 she had gastric sleeve surgery, which was used as a ‘tool’ to assist her in losing the weight. 

The procedure involves shrinking the size of the stomach which in turns leads to reduced food consumption.

‘As young women there’s so many beauty standards we feel we need to adhered to, so I wanted to make sure I was wanting to lose weight for the right reasons,’ she said.

‘I knew I was having the surgery and wanting to lose weight to improve my lifestyle.’ 

In July 2019 she had gastric sleeve surgery, which was used as a helpful tool to lose weight. Eight weeks after the successful surgery, Bay-Lea started exercising lightly then after four months she joined F45 and worked out four times a week

Over time the more weight she lost the more motivated she became to keep going – and on average she lost about 10kg each month

Eight weeks after the successful surgery, Bay-Lea started exercising lightly then joined F45 and worked out four times a week. 

‘I didn’t have a set fitness schedule and had anxiety at the thought of going to a gym, so the F45 classes worked perfectly,’ she said. 

Bay-Lea never counted calories but had help from a dietitian after the surgery to ensure she was eating the right foods.  

Over time the more weight she lost the more motivated she became to keep going – and on average she lost about 10kg each month. 

Before Bay-Lea used to struggle finding clothes that fit and could only shop at City Chic 

By August 2020 she weight 75kg and today weighs 80kg after gaining muscle mass

‘The first two months were the hardest to push through because I didn’t notice any results – but I kept going, I began feeling lighter and had more energy,’ she said.  

Her diet was transformed too as she would eat three small meals a day with healthy snacks in between. 

‘I was really strict with what I ate but allowed myself to have small amounts of things I craved,’ Bay-Lea said.  

By August 2020 she weight 75kg and today weighs 80kg after gaining muscle mass. 

Bey-Lea said the ‘most challenging’ aspect of her incredible weight loss transformation was accepting the shift in how others now treat her 

Bey-Lea said the ‘most challenging’ aspect of her incredible weight loss transformation was accepting the shift in how others now treat her.   

‘I’ve noticed a difference in the way people approach me or look at me; it came as a shock to me that people act differently based on my appearance,’ she said.

When asked what advice she would give to others wanting to lose weight, Bay-Lea said to make sure you’re doing it for yourself and no one else.

‘Balance is really important too and don’t be too hard on yourself,’ she said.