Super slimmer Natalie Cochrane told today how she shed nine stone after being told she was too FAT to go on a helicopter ride.
Natalie, 26, had ballooned to a whopping 19-and-a-half stone after bingeing on a stodgy diet of sausage rolls, pizzas and bowls of ice cream.
She finally realised she had to take action when she went on holiday to America but was barred from going on a sight-seeing helicopter ride because she was too large.
Natalie Cochrane is happy after losing nine stone
She was with her brother, Nathan, 24, and dad Roger, 68, in October 2012 when they were planning to fly over a volcano in Hawaii.
Now, 14 months later, Natalie weighs a slim 10 stone after slashing her daily calorie intake from a gut-busting 4,000 to just 500.
Incredibly, Natalie has also made her super slimming into a career after setting up her own weight-loss consultancy company.
Size 12 Natalie, from Colwick, Nottingham, said: “It makes me feel a bit sick to think of all the food I used to eat.
Natalie with a pair of jeans she wore when weighing 19 stone
Natalie on holiday when she was a lot heavier
“I was constantly shovelling junk food in my mouth, I didn’t care what it was.
“When I switched to my new diet I felt light-headed at first and had a few headaches but it wasn’t long before I began to feel better and had more energy.
“The holiday to America was the tipping point for me. We had booked to go on a sigh-seeing helicopter ride over a volcano with my brother and sister.
“The pilot looked really embarrassed and just said he couldn’t take me up on the flight.
“He was really apologetic but said it was because I was too heavy and I would upset the balance of the helicopter.
“I was mortified and at that moment decided I had to do something about my weight.”
She added: “When I went to boarding school I began to notice my weight more, especially when the girls were swapping clothes and I couldn’t join in.
“I remember weighing myself when I was 16 and my age was the same as my weight.”
Natalie is now helping other people lose weight after setting up her own weight loss consultancy called Brand New You.
She said: “I want to be an inspiration to people whether they want to lose one stone or ten.
“If I can do it anyone can – just making a few small changes can make all the difference.”
Natalie’s brother Nathan said he had seen a positive change in his big sister since her dramatic weight loss.
He said: “Me and Natalie were looking through old pictures of ourselves the other day, and we hadn’t noticed before, but Natalie just looked so upset in the pictures it’s completely different to how she is now.”
“I remember seeing Natalie’s face when we were on the plane to America and the meal came round. Natalie couldn’t get her table down to eat it, it was awful.
“The change in her and what she has achieved is just unbelievable and I couldn’t be more proud.”
ENDS
NATALIE’S DIETS
BEFORE
Breakfast: None
Snacks: Jumbo sausage roll, packet of crisps, chocolates, sweets.
Lunch: A ready meal or pizza.
Snacks: Bar of chocolate and a bag of sweets.
Dinner: Pizza with chips.
Dessert: Slice of cheesecake with ice-cream.
Snacks: Chocolate.
TOTAL CALORIES: 4,000
NOW
Breakfast: Meal replacement shake.
Snack: A piece of fruit.
Lunch: Tuna or chicken salad.
Snack: Meal replacement shake.
Dinner: Grilled chicken and a baked potato.
TOTAL CALORIES: 500