A woman who had a “glow” after a breakup and lost 12 stone says she feels “liberated” and is now inundated with direct messages from men.
Laura Gunn, 30, from Fife in Scotland, says she became comfortable in her 10-year relationship and didn’t feel like she had anyone to “impress”.
At her heaviest she weighed 22.7 pounds and was a size 24, but after her ex-fiancé broke up with her, she says she realized her self-worth.
Laura had tried all the fad diets and was struggling to lose weight, so she opted for gastric bypass surgery in Lithuania after much research.
She underwent a £6.5k operation in March 2023 and is now exactly number 10 and a slim size eight to 12.
BEFORE: Laura Gunn (pictured before her weight loss journey) weighed 22 and 7 pounds at her heaviest weight
AFTER: Following the breakup of her 10-year relationship, Laura (pictured after losing weight) says she had a “glow”
Now Laura has never felt better and is grateful that her ex broke up with her.
Laura, an intensive care nurse, said: “If we had continued that relationship it would never have changed.”
‘I would have lived a fat life.
“He has done me the greatest favor. I have lost 12 kilos. I have lost half of myself.
“I feel liberated and happy.”
Laura had been with her ex since she was 16 and they were engaged to be married.
She said: ‘Everything became easy. He no longer had anyone to impress. I got carried away.
‘I was so depressed. But I thought: ‘I’m going to get married, everything will be fine.’
According to Laura (pictured before her weight loss journey), she was “very depressed” before she lost weight, but now she feels “liberated and happy.”
The intensive care nurse (pictured) says she “got carried away” during her long-term relationship as she felt she “didn’t need to impress anyone.”
While Laura (pictured before her weight loss journey) says she was initially “devastated” after the breakup, she soon realized it was the right thing for her.
They were due to get married, but postponed their summer 2020 wedding due to the pandemic.
But in December 2020, the couple ended their 10-year relationship.
Laura said: “I felt devastated but quickly realized it was the right thing to do.”
She realized they had grown apart and received a wake-up call about her health after being prescribed blood pressure medication when she was 27.
Laura quickly ended up in another short relationship which helped boost her confidence and gave her the impetus to consider weight loss surgery.
According to Laura (pictured before losing weight), she would “still be living a fat life” if she had continued her relationship long-term.
He did a lot of research before deciding to go to Nordbariatric Clinic, Lithuania, and underwent a gastric bypass in March last year.
At first she found it difficult to understand the weight loss and changes.
But now he eats a healthy diet of home-cooked meals and goes to the gym three times a week.
She said: ‘When I was older I dressed like a 50-year-old woman.
‘I didn’t know who he was. My identity was everywhere.
“I could never look at myself in the mirror before. I never had mirrors in the house.
‘The person I am today improves because I am happy. I was never proud of myself.
Laura says she has also received more attention since losing weight.
After her big transformation, Laura (pictured) says she has learned that ‘skinny privilege’ is real and that, unfortunately, people treated her much worse when she was older.
‘RESPECT AND LOVE’: Now that she has lost more than half her body weight, Laura (pictured) says she has ‘respect and love for (herself)’
She said: ‘I didn’t think the privilege of being skinny existed.
But I absolutely do. People open doors for you.
‘My DMs have never been busier. Men definitely treat me differently.
‘It’s really strange, a bit scary and overwhelming, but nice.
‘I have respect and love for myself.’