Burntwood super slimmer Steph in £12,000 appeal to get rid of saggy skin

Steph O'Shea, 27, was almost 21 stone at her heaviest - but has managed to shed 10 stone after years of being morbidly obese.

But after her rapid weight loss Steph, from Burntwood, was left with a stone of saggy skin hanging from her tummy.

She now wants to raise £12,000 to get rid of her excess skin to finally give her the body of her dreams.

Steph, a part-time community worker, said: "I thought losing weight would make me happier but the lose skin has destroyed my confidence.

"I wanted to lose weight to enjoy life, clothes and being active instead of wishing or watching other people enjoying themselves.

"My partner loves me regardless. He says I'm not the same person and that I'm more reserved now that I've lost weight. I'm more insecure now.

"My skin gets sore so I rely on creams when it breaks from sweating excessively or rubs on clothing.

"I rely on body suits to help me fit into clothes better and it also acts as a barrier between jeans as they can be havoc on my stomach with it over hanging.

"The excess skin holds me back from my ability to be as active as I'd like. I'm conscious people can hear it moving around in the gym so I wear garments underneath to hold me in which can be uncomfortable.

Steph decided to lose weight in January 2017 after a lifetime of being obese and suffering from health problems because of her size.

She said she lost weight by regular exercise and cutting out processed food including her much loved kebab meat and chips.

Now weighing a healthy 10st 9lb, Steph said despite her dramatic weight loss she still feels insecure about her body after she was left with saggy excess skin on her arms, stomach and legs which causes painful sores across her body and limit her mobility.

She said that she was able to shed the pounds after ditching years of bad eating habits.

She said: "I used to survive on coffee through the day then have one super sized plate of mainly fried and processed food at night.

"I just cut out as much processed food as I could. I limit myself to one takeaway a month, cook my meals myself and eat lean meats and grill or bake food instead of fry.

"It's all about balance and moderation. I still eat crisps, chocolate and drink alcohol.

"I try and keep my fluid intake at around two litres and go to the gym three times a week for an hour."

Steph said she is raising £12,000 on GoFundMe to pay for her excess skin to be removed.

She said: "I know most people see it as cosmetic and there is a small aspect of it being cosmetic but surgery isn't a decision to be taken lightly and I'm going to be left with scars.

"I'm raising the money on GoFundMe for my sanity rather than vanity. I've done all I possibly can to change and the next steps are in the hands of a surgeon.

"I've spent my whole life hiding away from the world. £12,000 is a large sum and I didn't want to be in this situation but I don't have any other option."

You can donate to her GoFundMe at gofundme.com/body-reconstruction-after-weighloss