An obese bridesmaid has dropped an impressive 11 stone after hating her appearance in the wedding photos.
Natalia Georgis, 22, from Hayes, London, weighed 21st 4lb before deciding enough was enough after wearing a bridesmaid dress in May, 2019, and disliking the way she looked in the pictures from the big day.
She decided to fork out £10,000 with the help of her family, and underwent a gastric sleeve fitting in November that year in a bid to shrink her frame.
Natalia, who now weighs 9st 7lbs and is a size 8, said: ‘I was so excited to be a bridesmaid, but I had to select the largest dress that the shop had and get that dress altered even larger afterwards to fit me.
An obese bridesmaid (pictured left, before the weight loss, and right, after) has dropped 11 stone after hating her appearance in the wedding photos
Natalia Georgis (pictured), from Hayes, London, weighed 21st 4lb before deciding enough was enough after wearing a bridesmaid dress in May, 2019
‘It had a huge affect on my confidence when I saw the pictures, and I just couldn’t enjoy the experience as much as I originally wanted to. It was from that moment that I knew I wanted to make a change and start to lose some of the weight.’
Natalia researched options to start her weight loss journey and underwent a gastric sleeve on November 16, 2019.
She explained: ‘The research was quite daunting, but I found that the sleeve was the right option for me.
‘Two weeks prior to the fitting, I had to only drink milk and was allowed one stock cube a day to keep my levels up. After the fitting I was only able to eat soups and soft foods.’
Natalia was also told that the gastric sleeve would only help her lose part of her weight, and the majority of her results would come from her own hard work.
She added: ‘For two months I was not able to do any form of exercise after the fitting which was incredibly frustrating.
Natalia, who now weighs 9st 7lbs (pictured), said: ‘I was so excited to be a bridesmaid, but I had to select the largest dress that the shop had and get that dress altered even larger afterwards to fit me’
‘Once the two month mark had cleared, I was in the gym four times a week working hard on my cardio, and when the lockdown came about, I would do home workouts.
‘Even when I was not feeling up to going, I would push myself because I would be reminded of what I was working for.’
Natalia was also motivated by the positive comments of friends and family around her on her journey.
She said: ‘There was nothing more encouraging than somebody saying that I looked really good lately and asking if I had lost weight. The confidence boost it gave me, combined with the results of my hard work at the gym showing on the scales was incredible.’
Natalia also changed her diet entirely in order to work with her new active lifestyle.
She explained: ‘One of the best things about my journey was discovering how much I enjoyed cooking. Whereas before I would jump for an early option like a takeaway Chinese or a curry, I am now buying all of my ingredients fresh and cooking at home.
She decided to fork out £10,000 and underwent a gastric sleeve fitting in November that year in a bid to shrink her frame. Pictured in the wedding photos
‘I still eat three meals a day, but I am now far more conscious of healthier options and alternatives to what I was eating before.’
It has also had an incredibly positive affect on her mental health. She added. ‘I used to be the girl that would always opt to stay inside and be reluctant to go and meet new people.
‘It was always normal for me to be worried about criticism from others about my weight. Now, I can hold a conversation with anyone and go out feeling like my confidence has never been higher.’
As a result of her incredible weight loss, Natalia was left with loose skin, which she has been treated for at Highgate Private Hospital in London.
She added: ‘I have to have three rounds of surgery costing a total of £26,000 in order to remove the excess skin and have currently had two so far.
Natalia pictured before her weightloss. She began sharing her journey online on TikTok, where she has an amazing 17.5k followers and videos with over 70k likes
‘The first surgery in May was quite traumatic as I had to go back into surgery afterwards in order correct an internal bleed, which left me a bit shaken up afterwards when I had to change my bandages as I was always anticipating pain.
‘The second surgery was in September and was totally different, and I was up and walking around almost immediately afterwards which was brilliant. My third and final surgery is approaching in December.
Natalia is also incredibly humble despite a lot of interest from other men, admitting: ‘I have had a lot of messages but in all honesty, I am in a great place right now and am happy working on myself.’
She began sharing her journey online on TikTok, where she has an amazing 17.5k followers and videos with over 70k likes.
She said: ‘I first posted on TikTok not really expecting anything from it, but my weight loss videos started getting a lot of attention which was a surprise.
‘Before long, I was getting people reaching out and asking for tips and calling me an inspiration which was a real shock. I was just trying to be as honest as possible and send recipes and tips which worked for me to anyone who asked for my advice.’
You can follow Natalia on TikTok to see her amazing journey @nataliageorgis.
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