Brisbane housewife, Veronica Colbert, was warned about her weight and lost 90.5 kg to win a body transformation championship. Video / Caters
An obese wife who was warned she was on a "fast track to early death" has lost 90.5kg to win a body transformation championship.
Veronica Colbert, 33, from Brisbane, Australia, was shocked by the perilous prognosis three-years-ago after suffering with breathing difficulties and dizziness.
Months previously, while weighing over 149.7kg, she was asked by a doctor if she had considered weight loss surgery, during an appointment for an unrelated issue.
Remember the shocking words, she opted for a gastric sleeve having tried countless diets, fads and exercise without success in the past.
Thanks to carefully considering her food intake, working out and small weight loss goals, she hit her target but was left with mounds of saggy excess skin.
She initially considered it "a badge of honour", but over time it became a "sad reminder" of the damage she had inflicted upon her body.
Five months ago, she had surgery to remove 5kg of skin, ridding her of the "large arm flaps", "saggy egg breasts" and "wrinkled thighs".
She continued to slim down to 59.2kg and last month was awarded first place in a competition for the Inaugural Queensland Transformation Championships.
Veronica, a procurement professional, said: "It felt amazing. I didn't realise at first that I had won, and I was so shocked.
Veronica won the transformation championship. Photo / Caters
"There was so many deserving and inspirational people that were also competing.
"The competition was for people who had transformed their lives through better health and fitness.
"I never thought this would be possible. I always thought I would be the overweight and unhealthy person I was two years ago.
"I just want people to know that there are options and it is achievable
"At 150kg I never thought I would ever be in a position where I would be winning a transformation competition.
"In fact, I thought I would never be able to lose weight. I felt like I was a lost cause.
Some of Veronicas excess skin after losing 90kg. Photo / Caters
"I feel so different. I feel healthier, more confident and able to participate in life.
"Most people find it hard to believe it is me when they see pictures. I find that hard to take as in my eyes I was just taking back my life and prolonging my life."
Veronica's weight gain took place over a decade, when she piled on 100kg, leaving her with a 36.6 BMI – the highest level of obesity.
Her cravings for sugary foods and drinks worsened in 2008, which she believes was due to underlying health problems.
Veronica said: "I started to suddenly eat more often and crave sugary foods and drinks. At the time I thought it was due to some medication I was taking at the time.
"But since I have been seeing an Endocrinologist due to Hypoglycaemia it is more than likely that my low blood sugars starting happening a while ago.
"My body was telling me I needed to eat all the time to combat the low blood sugars and hence I gained approx. 100 kg over ten years."
Some of the excess skin Veronica had removed. Photo / Caters
Veronica's weight-loss wake-up call, arrived after doctors made judgements about her size and asked whether she had considered weight loss surgery.
She said: "The doctor, who didn't even know me, mentioned my weight and asked had I considered weight loss surgery.
"Offended I told him to go get stuffed and that it was rude of him to even bring it up considering the reason I was there was totally unrelated.
"Fast forward to a few months after that and I was told I was having issues with my heart.
"I had a leaky valve that was causing me to be breathless and have dizzy spells. My doctor told me I was on the fast track to an early death.
"At the age of 31, this was hard to hear. It was time to consider options for losing weight.
"It was at this time that I knew I had to find a permanent solution, so I remembered the comment the doctor had said about weight loss surgery and started researching it."
Veronica showing her stomach and breast area post surgery. Photo / Caters
Veronica went under the knife in 2016 for a gastric sleeve and was able to drop down to a healthy weight by September the following year.
But her success was overshadowed by her remaining excess skin.
Veronica said: "I had mixed emotions - in a way it was revering and at the same time I despised it.
"My excess skin was a badge of honour for what I had achieved however it was also a constant reminder of what I used to be and what damage I had inflicted on my body.
"It also was physically limiting at times and caused its own issues entirely.
"My excess skin literally hung off my body - my breasts looked like saggy eggs, my thighs, my arms looked like I could fly overseas with the flaps on them."
Veronica had an extended tummy tuck, arm lift, breast lift and bra-line lift in March, to rid her of close to a stone (5kg/11lb) of loose and hanging flab.
