A woman who weighed 400 pounds and felt like every step “was a burden” has revealed how a trip to Disneyland helped her lose more than half her body weight.
Leah Hope Mancuso, 35, often turned to junk food and unhealthy snacks as a way to feel full while continuing her busy lifestyle.
As his eating intensified, he gained weight and stopped moving as much, eventually weighing 400 pounds at his peak.
But the photographer, from Scottsdale, Arizona, didn’t realize the extent of her weight gain until she went on vacation to Disneyland with her sister and her family.
Leah Hope Mancuso, 35, revealed how a trip to Disneyland helped her lose more than half her body weight. Pictured: before (left) and after (right)
The photographer, from Scottsdale, Arizona, didn’t realize the extent of her weight gain until she went on vacation to Disneyland with her sister and family. Pictured: before she lost the weight
“I’ve never tried to enjoy a day at a theme park with such difficulty,” Leah confessed.
‘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 in knowing it was going to be hard for me.
‘Within a few hours I had a migraine, my feet hurt, my back hurt and I was sweating profusely.
‘I took breaks as often as I could, but ended up having to spend the last part of the day alone, sitting at a table with my eyes closed to control the migraine.
‘That night I felt stupid for thinking I would be able to handle it and I knew I couldn’t continue down the path I was on.
“I didn’t want to live a life where one day at the supposed ‘happiest place on Earth’ was actually the most miserable for me.”
When Leah returned home from her trip in March 2022, she knew something had to change.
She said: ‘I lived a life where I started moving as little as possible because every step felt like a burden.
Leah currently weighs 84kg, having successfully lost over half of her body weight, and has since returned to Disneyland. Pictured: after losing weight
Leah explained that she now feels good, healthy and capable in her new body. Pictured: before (left) and after (right)
‘I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable in my body and realised how difficult it was to simply go about my daily life at my size.
‘Most days, the only time I left the house was to buy whatever food I was craving that day.
‘I used to have Starbucks almost every morning: a Venti Caramel Macchiato with an extra touch of caramel, a blueberry muffin and a Danish pastry.’
She continued: ‘Often, I would buy another meal for lunch or dinner, something like an In-N-Out burger, where I would order two orders of fries, so I could have one with my burger and save one for a snack.
‘I also ate frozen food quite often when I ate at home — easy things I could heat up, like taquitos or burritos.’
Leah weighed a whopping 398 pounds when she began her journey.
“I started being aware of what I ate by writing it down in a food diary,” she said.
‘After practicing mindfulness, I decided to take a little more control over my results, and after about six weeks, I started tracking my calorie intake.’
“I started being conscious of what I ate by keeping a food journal,” said Leah (pictured during her weight loss journey).
Leah continued: ‘I also started walking 10 minutes a day because that was all I could do at once.
‘But as I increased my endurance, I was able to go from 10 minutes to 15, then 20, then 30.
‘I then added swimming to the mix and eventually strength training, pickleball playing and also hiking.
‘About a year after starting my journey, I hired a personal trainer who I have worked with regularly ever since.’
Leah currently weighs 185 pounds, having successfully lost over half of her body weight.
She said: ‘Daily food now consists of scrambled eggs with cheese mixed in, fruit or poached eggs on a slice of sourdough bread, with butter and coffee, with collagen, cream and sugar for breakfast.
‘Lunch is a bowl of cottage cheese, with maple syrup to sweeten, granola and fruit.
‘Another lunch I often have is an open sandwich, with ham or tuna on sourdough bread.
‘For dinner, I usually have chicken and potatoes, or pasta with chicken sausage and some vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers.’
Leah (pictured after) added: “Life is so much better now. Not because I’m closer to society’s beauty standard, but because I have so many more things that really matter.”
She continued: ‘A snack will usually be a protein bar or shake.
‘I still love to have something sweet like ice cream or berries with whipped cream and chocolate chips to end the day!’
Leah explained that she now feels good, healthy and capable in her new body.
She said: ‘I used to live a very limited life because my size and abilities held me back in many ways.
‘I used to think my life was easier, so I continued in the unhealthy patterns I had created for myself.
‘But it wasn’t easier, it was just less.
“Life is so much better now. Not because I’m closer to society’s beauty standard, but because I have so many more things that really matter.”
(tags to translate)dailymail