A mum-of-two is unrecognizable after losing 51kg by ditching her daily takeaway habit and deciding to have surgery to finally have the body of her dreams.
Tara Pace, 34, ballooned to 250 pounds due to a takeaway addiction that led her to dine at fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s and KFC, every day.
Describing her eating habits as disgusting, Tara reportedly spends $200 a week on takeout and has no qualms about eating fast food for multiple meals each day.
However, after catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Tara says she realized she had to stop because she could no longer keep up with her children.
She was also mortified to discover that her eldest son, Tyler, now 15, had kids at school who teased him about his “fat mom.”
Before and after: Sydney mother-of-two Tara Pace lost 51kg after kicking her costly takeaway addiction, undergoing weight loss surgery and improving her health.
Tara, from Sydney, decided to undergo weight loss surgery in a bid to change her life and help her lose significant weight.
“Growing up I was really fit and healthy, but as I got older I fell into bad relationships, which led me to also have a bad relationship with food,” she said .
“I finally met my husband David and I, so we felt very comfortable. I ate so much and the weight piled on. I was somewhat of a takeout addict.
Tara ate fast food every day, sometimes more than once, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and spent on KFC, McDonald’s and pizza.
“My diet was disgusting, as was the money I was wasting,” she said.
“I lived near a lot of takeaway restaurants, so it was convenient to pick up food. One of my favorite meals was a meal of a quarter pounder and six nuggets from McDonald’s.
Tara spent $200 a week on fast food like KFC, McDonald’s or pizza every day, sometimes more than once (pictured with husband David, 31, and sons Tyler, 15, and Elijah, nine).
In September 2022, Tara underwent $6,000 gastric sleeve surgery and said she had already invested to fund her takeout habit, so the procedure was a much better use of her money.
One day, Tara saw a mean message scrawled on the whiteboard at her child’s school and decided “enough is enough.”
“My oldest had children who wrote on the blackboard at school about their mother’s obesity. I felt very bad and I was also very unhappy with my appearance,” she said.
“I was wasting my life, so I decided to go see my doctor. I was given a few weeks to try to lose weight before recommending weight loss surgery.
In September 2022, Tara underwent gastric sleeve surgery through her private health insurance, which cost her approximately $6,000.
“If I hadn’t had the operation done by a private health organization, it would have cost me about $27,000,” she added.
Tara’s husband was initially anti-surgical because he considered it akin to throwing money down the drain.
However, Tara says she was already throwing money away to fund her takeaway habit and it was a much better use of her money.
By December of that year, I had lost over 20kg and people started asking questions. They thought I was sick,” she recalls
Tara reached her goal weight of 57kg, but quickly realized it was not a healthy weight to maintain. “I maintain at 60 kg. I feel and look much healthier.
“I only told my husband that I was going to have surgery. By December of that year, I had lost over 20kg and people started asking questions. They thought I was sick,” she recalls.
“When I lost 30kg, I decided to tell people I had weight loss surgery.”
Within nine months, Tara reached her goal weight of 57kg, but quickly realized it was not a healthy weight to maintain.
“I maintain at 60 kg. I feel and look much healthier. My confidence has exploded and I feel amazing,” she said.
“I also have a lot more energy, and I can do a lot more with my sons, Tyler and Elijah, who are nine.”
A huge win for Tara was being able to not only play basketball with her son, but beat him. She said they both had a “great time.”
A huge win for Tara was being able to not only play basketball with her son, but beat him. She said they both had a ‘great time’
“My husband always made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, but my weight loss benefited the whole family,” she said.
“I don’t sit around watching them anymore because I can participate in everything and we can do a lot of things as a family.”
Tara said she went from being a “shy, shy people-pleaser” to being able to assert herself by confidently saying no and dictating how she wanted things to go.
“So many other doors have opened for me that I wouldn’t have even knocked on before,” she said.
“It’s amazing to look at yourself and not hate what you see. I finally feel worthy and happy with myself inside too.
Tara says her addiction to takeout has turned into an addiction to clothes, as she can now wear things she never dreamed she could.
“The amount of clothes I’ve bought since losing weight is slightly embarrassing,” she admitted.
“I went from wearing super baggy clothes to being able to walk into a store and try on cute, stylish clothes.
“The first time I made a huge booty and got myself a whole new wardrobe, it was amazing. The clothes fit me like they fit models now.
