A woman who weighed more than 28 stone has turned her back on a life filled with junk food and takeaways. Leah Hope Mancuso didn't realise just how quickly the pounds had piled on from years of unhealthy eating . The 35-year-old would often neck down a sugary Starbucks coffee for breakfast along with a muffin and pastry, before ordering two fries and a burger from a fast-food chain for lunch.
At home, she would frequently turn to frozen food that was easy to heat up, like taquitos or burritos. However, a trip to Disneyland unexpectedly triggered a drastic weight loss mission - and Mancuso is now down to just 13 stone. "It was the heaviest I had ever been trying to enjoy a day at a theme park," the photographer said.
"Being an aunt has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and I didn't want to miss out on this experience with my nephew, so I went knowing it would be difficult for me." Within a few hours of walking around in the 'happiest place on Earth', Mancuso, from Arizona, US, was hit with a migraine , feet pain, back ache, and was 'profusely sweating'. "I took breaks as often as I could, but I ended up having to spend the last part of the day by myself, sitting at a table with my eyes closed to manage the migraine," she added.
"That night I felt foolish for thinking I would be able to handle it and knew I couldn't continue down the path I was on." Want big news with big heart? Get the top headlines sent straight to your inbox with our Daily Newsletter Mancuso began be.