Woman trolled online about her size sees 9st weight loss in a year
A woman who was fat-shamed by online trolls for her size has revealed her incredible one-year body transformation, which included an incredible 9st (56kg) weight loss.
Aida Azizi, 26, from Chiswick, London has managed to go from 21st 4lb (135kg) to 12st 6lb (79kg) and drop from a dress size 22 to a size 10 in a single year thanks to overhauling her diet and lifestyle.
The project manager suffered with health problems since the age of 16 when she was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries; with one of the main symptoms being weight gain.
“I used to always wear black to hide my figure," she says. "I never took photos of myself because I was ashamed.
"People on social media were scary and ruthless," she continues.
“I was told I was fat when I used to post photos on Instagram, so I started hiding my figure but you could tell from my face how large I was."
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The turning point came when Azizi was getting ready to go out and meet a friend and realised none of her clothes fitted her.
"I had a breakdown, didn't leave the house and cancelled my plans," she says of that moment. "That's when I knew things needed to change.
"I restricted myself to 500 calories a day for the first few months, which was approved by my doctor, and then I upped it to 800 calories a day which is what I currently have," she explains.
“Before, I’d be eating around 3000 calories a day, about four meals plus snacks including crisps and chocolate.
“I also used to go out a lot for food and consume plenty of takeaways and fast food. Now I cook a lot of my food myself.
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“For breakfast I have eggs and half a slice of toast, for lunch I’ll have chicken and veg and then for dinner I’ll have something small like couscous and lamb or veg.
"It took a lot of time to get used to as it was a shock to my body, but it was totally worth it."
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Azizi says her doctor also prescribed her medication that helped regulate her hormones.
"Having polycystic ovaries means you have an imbalance of hormones which can lead to weight gain as well as constantly having cravings."
Though she says the medication contributed to her weight loss, she believes it was mostly down to a calorie deficit diet and weight training.
"I started working out by watching videos on YouTube and TikTok and went from there," she says.
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Not only does she look unrecognisable following her dramatic change, Azizi says she also feels much healthier and happier.
"I also started dressing differently," she says. "I dyed my hair, had extensions put in, started getting my nails done and started properly wearing make-up. I became a brand-new person."
The body transformation has also had a knock-on impact on her wellbeing.
"My confidence has changed so much," she explains. "I was suffering with depression, I was ashamed to go out, I didn't even own a mirror.
"I started dressing differently to what I did before, I can wear mini-skirts now, something I’d never have dared to wear before."
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As well as Azizi’s physical transformation, friends and family have commented on the difference in her personality.
"My mum is so happy, she can see the difference in me and how much my confidence has improved," she says.
"My friends and family are so proud of me."
She also feels better able to deal with any negativity online.
"Now I no longer get comments about my weight, people comment on my lips and nose job but I don't care what people say about me anymore as I now have the confidence to ignore it," she adds.
Additional reporting Caters.
