Kayla before and after her dramatic transformation. Photos / Caters
Kayla before and after her dramatic transformation. Photos / Caters
A shrinking bridesmaid shed eight dress sizes after being snapped in a 'disgusting' wedding photo - before unveiling her 7st 8lbs weight loss at new nuptials 12 months later.
Sugar addict Kayla Hatcher graduated high school in 2006 as a petite size 10 [UK] but after two babies and thetragic death of her sister to cancer, nine years later she tipped the scales at 116kg and a size 22.
The mum-of-two, who guzzled two litres of fizzy drink every day, was inspired to transform her body after not recognising herself in her bridesmaid pictures from her cousin's wedding.
Kayla swapped a fast food addiction for eating just 1000 calories a day and began going to the gym twice a day - even getting up at 2.45am to work out before her kids woke up.
Within 12 months, the 30-year-old had shed almost half her bodyweight before debuting her svelte new size 10 frame as a bridesmaid at another family wedding exactly a year later.
Real estate office manager Kayla, from Grand Bay, Alabama, US, said: "After having babies, my weight crept up.
"My typical day was to watch TV, eat and sleep - I was very unhealthy. But I didn't pay attention, I just got bigger clothes.
"After I was photographed in that pink bridesmaid's dress at my cousin's wedding in October 2015, I didn't recognise myself.
"The dress was awkward and uncomfortable. Everybody else's looked fabulous on them, but mine wasn't flattering.
"I was angry I looked like that. I saw like six chins and really big arms. It was bad, but it opened my eyes.
"That picture changed my life. I stared at it for hours, and knew things had to change."
Kayla's old lifestyle
Kayla would start the day with two sugary bowls of cereal for breakfast before gorging on cakes, pizza or burgers and eating double helpings of fried chicken or pork chops for dinner.
She also drank two litres of root beer or Mountain Dew each day and consumed almost four litres of tea with three cups of sugar every two or three days.
But after being mortified over her image in her cousin's wedding photos, in March 2016 she joined her local gym and swapped her sweet tea habit for drinking the recommended daily dosage of water.
Starting by working out for 30 minutes a day, the mum-of-two gradually increased this to three solid hours of weights, squats and crunches daily - going to the gym at 2.45am to complete her workouts in the early hours of the morning before her kids woke.
Kayla explained how she decided to lose weight as she didn't recognize herself in her cousin's wedding pictures. Photo / Caters
Kayla slashed her calorie intake from 3500 to 1000 a day, eating smaller portions of healthy home-cooked meals and cutting out noodles, bread and sweets.
Eleven months after starting her weight loss journey, Kayla had lost a whopping 44kg.
And exactly a year after she decided to lose weight, a 49.5kg-lighter Kayla found herself a bridesmaid again, this time in a dress eight sizes smaller.
Kayla, who still runs twice a week, said: "It was really hard in the beginning; I really love my sleep. But once I saw it was working, it became easier.
"I was getting up earlier, I was going longer. By mid 2016, I was going to the gym at 2.45am and staying until about 5am.
"I became addicted to it, going to the gym first thing in the morning, and running club with the kids after school and gym again at night.
"It's overwhelming when you've never set foot inside a gym before and know there's people who go there every day. But I did it.
"When I began losing weight, I was thrilled. Never in a million years did I think I could lose 20kg, much less 50kg.
"I feel so much happier and better about my appearance these days.
"When I went to my cousin's wedding in a size 4 dress, it was one of the best days of my life.
"I'm still in shock about how much I've changed. If I can do it, anyone can.
"My transformation has changed my life - particularly my relationship with my kids.
"They're thrilled I will go outside and play with them now and they love that I come to running club with them."
A year later she walked down the aisle as a bridesmaid at another family wedding. Photo / Caters
Kayla's daily diet: Before
Breakfast: Two bowls of sugary cereal. Mid-morning snack: A snack cake and tea with lots of sugar. Lunch: A pizza or burger. Afternoon snack: More tea loaded with sugar or fizzy soft drinks. Dinner: More fast fried food with potatoes and 'Southern' US cooking. Dessert: A candy bar or sweets.
Kayla's daily diet: Now
Breakfast: Apple and cinnamon oatmeal. Mid-morning snack: Almonds. Lunch: Deli meats (usually turkey) wrapped in a tortilla shell with spinach. Afternoon snack: Peanut butter, nuts or fruit. Dinner: Salad with grilled chicken or fish and Italian dressing. Dessert: A bowl of Greek yogurt and granola (to hit the sweet cravings spot). Beverages: Water, and coffee with vanilla sugar-free creamer.
