A size 26 bride shed an incredible 63kg before her wedding day, stunning guests with her incredible transformation.
Claire Williams, 44, from Wales in the UK has spent most her life comfort eating and overindulging on snacks. At just 152cm, her weight peaked at 125kg, and she resigned herself to always being overweight.
But when someone cruelly taunted her fiance Matthew about "dating a fat girl", she decided to take action, embarking on a healthier way of life that and becoming virtually unrecognisable.
After losing almost half her body weight, she walked down the aisle a fit and healthy size 8, much to the shock of her friends and family, news.com.au reports.
"When I was at my heaviest I would never have had the confidence to walk down the aisle. But my weight loss has totally transformed me," she told The Sun.
"I am so full of energy these days. I felt truly amazing on my wedding day."
Claire, who said she was a "chunky child" who just got "bigger and bigger" as an adult, had resigned herself to living with her body that way.
Photo / Facebook
"Any food I could find I'd put in my mouth," she said. "I would eat a stupid amount of bread — almost a loaf a day. I'd have it with every single meal of the day. Breakfast lunch and dinner, too."
Her food habit was having a negative effect on her health, with Claire stating it was affecting her mobility.
"When I got on a plane I sat in my seat the whole journey without moving once — terrified if I undid my seatbelt I'd never do it up again."
When she met husband-to-be Matthew, now 50, in 2013, Claire found the support she needed to start her weight-loss journey, joining her local Slimming World a year after they got together.
"Matthew loved me unconditionally. He met me when I was fat and he got a lot of stick," she said. "People asked him why he was going out with a fat woman like me.
"Having such a wonderful partner who loves you unconditionally is amazing. If it wasn't for him, I'd not be the healthy and happy woman I am today.
After following the group's weight-loss program, in which dieters choose foods through a points system known as "Syns", Claire ditched her favourite meal of sausages and chips in favour of things like chicken salads and home-cooked brekkies.
Her dramatic weight loss had more than just a physical effect after Claire uncovered a tumour in her stomach during the process.
"As my weight dropped I felt a lump in my stomach and it was very prominent. I was very worried. My GP referred me for tests and I discovered I had a tumour in my stomach the size of a watermelon," she explained. "Thankfully, it was removed and I was relieved to find out it was non-cancerous.
Before she met her now-husband Matthew, she said she used to comfort eat and snack relentlessly. Photo / Facebook
"It's shocking to think I had something that big in my stomach and I had no idea."
Claire and Matthew married at Llechwen Hall in Nelson in front of 58 guests, with the bride rocking a stunning size 8 sweetheart gown.
"I did feel truly amazing on my wedding day. Walking down the aisle felt wonderful. Matthew did nothing but tell me how beautiful I was and the whole day was fantastic," she said.
"We'd come through my weight loss together. I'm half the woman I used to be these days, and it's the best feeling in the world."
