A mother-of-one halved her body weight by shedding almost ten stone after being warned she might not wake up following an operation due to her size 24 frame.
Hannah Straughan, 25, from Sunderland, weighed 19st 5lb when she was rushed to hospital in May last year with swollen tonsils leaving her struggling to breathe.
Last year the bank worker was told by doctors her weight made her high-risk when undergoing an operation to remove her tonsils – and even warned she might not wake up from the anesthetic.
However the 5″3 single mum decided to go ahead with the operation, and when she pulled through vowed to take action over her weight for the sake of her five-year-old daughter Brooke.
She has since dropped to 9 stone 9lbs after following a strict diet regime that saw her ditch her favourite fried breakfasts and McDonald’s for lean chicken and veg.
Last year the mother-of-one was told by doctors her weight made her high-risk when undergoing an operation to remove her tonsils – and that she may not wake up from the anesthetic
Hannah Straughan, 25, of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, halved her bodyweight and shed ten stone after being told she may not wake up from emergency surgery due to her size 24 frame
She said: ‘I knew deep down it was a problem but I didn’t want to admit it.
‘When I was told I was high-risk it broke my heart – it was a real wake-up call.
‘I was very unhappy – I was always being asked to go out with friends but always felt uncomfortable and would cover myself up with a coat,’ she admitted.
Hannah would eat a daily fried breakfast and lunch at McDonalds or Subway, before enjoying pizza and kebabs brought home each night by her ex-partner – who was a takeaway delivery driver.
Her weight was such an issue she was too out of breath to walk to ASDA – which was just a minute away on-foot – and she would get her former partner to drive her there.
Determined to overhaul her lifestyle, Hannah joined a Slimming World group and set about shifting the pounds.
However the bankworker decided to go ahead with the operation, and when she pulled through vowed to take action over her weight for the sake of her five-year-old daughter Brooke
Now, more than a year later, Hannah looks almost unrecognisable after joining Slimming World and dropping seven dress sizes to a size 8 to 10 and weighing 9st 9lb.
She adheres to a strict eating plan arranged by her diet group, which consists of bran with yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, couscous and vegetables or chicken salad for lunch and home-made lasagna or curry for dinner.
She also spends two hours in the gym every night and takes long walks as well as swimming with daughter Brooke.
Hannah would eat a daily fried breakfast and lunch at McDonalds or Subway, before enjoying pizza and kebabs brought home each night by her ex-partner (seen with mum Lynn Potts, 43, and sister Emily Straughan, 19)
Hannah joined a Slimming World group and set about shifting the pounds, working out two hours a day and following a meal plan
Speaking about her journey, she said: ‘Once I recovered and joined the group I was told if I stuck to the plan I could change my life – but I didn’t believe anything of it.
‘Before I lost the weight I was unemployed but losing it gave me the confidence to get out there and I found a job straight away.
‘Now I’m out all the time with friends and have lovely clothes to wear.
‘I really feel like a completely different person – looking back at the old pictures doesn’t even feel like me.
‘When I was overweight I was too embarrassed to take part in any exercises but now there’s no stopping me.’
Looking back at her transformation Hannah admits she’s shocked when she stumbles across old pictures.
More than a year later, 5ft 3in Hannah looks almost unrecognisable after joining Slimming World and dropping seven dress sizes to a size 8 to 10 and weighing 9st 9lb (seen with 5-year-old Brook)
‘Now I’m out all the time with friends and have lovely clothes to wear,’ Hannah (right) pictured on a night out with a pal says
‘When I saw pictures of myself on nights out [before the weight loss] I was shocked,’ she admitted.
‘I refused to be in photos but now I feel more confident being in pictures and taking selfies – I feel better about myself.’
And as well as bagging a new job, Hannah’s transformation has given her the confidence to find love again.
Hannah broke up Brooke’s father, her partner of seven years, last September.
But with her new svelte shape she’s wasted no time getting back in the dating game.
She explained: ‘We’d tried to get along for the sake of Brooke and when it ended it was a big shock.
‘But I’m in a new relationship now with someone I’ve been seeing for about a month.
‘If I had still had the weight on when I finished with Brooke’s dad I wouldn’t have left the house and definitely wouldn’t have met anyone.
‘I’m more confident in my new body now – I just feel better about the way I look.’
She also spends two hours in the gym every night and takes long walks as well as swimming with daughter Brooke (left)
‘I refused to be in photos but now I feel more confident being in pictures and taking selfies – I feel better about myself,’ she said of her new look, which has helped her find love