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TIPPING the scales at a staggering 26 stone, Kara Beck realised something in her life desperately needed to change.

She'd been devouring family packs of crisps and whole tubs of ice cream - and her low self-esteem was just making her eat more and balloon.

 Kara was a shocking 26 stone before her dramatic weight loss
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Kara was a shocking 26 stone before her dramatic weight lossCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck

The accountant, from Kansas City in America, had put her weight gain to being hereditary as both sides of her family had struggled with obesity and diabetes.

However, Kara's reality check came when she fell pregnant in August 2016 and doctors immediately showed her just how badly her weight was affecting her health - as well as how risky her pregnancy would be due to her size.

Kara was determined to do something about her weight, and just over a year and a half later she has changed her life by losing an incredible 14 stone.

She now weighs 12st 4lb and is a size 10.

Speaking about her impressive weight-loss, she said: "I have been obese most of my life. When I was younger, I had poor mental health and self-worth.

 Kara's reality check came when she fell pregnant in August 2016
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Kara's reality check came when she fell pregnant in August 2016Credit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck
 Doctors told Kara how risky her pregnancy would be due to her weight
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Doctors told Kara how risky her pregnancy would be due to her weightCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck

"Family on both sides were obese and diabetic so I do have a genetic disposition to being larger.

"Because of my size I was teased at school - even my friend would call me ‘Red Cow’ behind my back at school because I’m a red head.

"I also saw other big girls being bullied and seeing pictures of them with the words ‘do the world a favour and kill yourself’ really didn’t help me.

"I fell into depression as a teenager and started to self-harm.

"As a young adult I’d eat some healthy foods like protein shakes, vegetables and the occasional fruit.

"I even exercised twice a week for about 20 minutes each time, but because I’d then binge on big burrito bowls, bags of crisps and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream I consumed over 3,500 calories a day, so my weight just kept climbing.

 Kara is now a size ten and maintains an active, healthy lifestyle
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Kara is now a size ten and maintains an active, healthy lifestyleCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck

"When I became pregnant I felt so excited as I’d always wanted to be a mother, but when I went to the doctors weighing 26st 4lb I was forced to see and understand just how much my weight was affecting not just my health but also my baby. I risked hypertension, diabetes and preeclampsia.

"I knew I had to make a change for us both and this was the key turning point for me."

Kara managed to blitz her body fat by having a gastric bypass in January 2018.

Despite her incredible weight-loss, Kara is now struggling with her excess skin which she admits gets in the way of daily activities and dampens her sex life.

Kara reveals her 3 top tips for weight loss success

1. Evaluate yourself.

Start reflecting on parts of your life you might not have before, so track your food intake, track your activity output and track your moods etc.

2. Find patterns or trigger spots that lead to binging or not exercising.

Try to address these first and then start tracking your calories. Next create a deficit so you’re eating less food than you need to maintain your weight. Next create a deficit so you’re eating less food than you need to maintain your weight.

3. Increase your exercise. 

Start to increase your exercise. It’s important to really know yourself and where your weak spots are. Address these as early as possible and you will soon find success.

 

 Kara says she finds it hard to see the true extent of her weight loss due to the overhanging skin left over from losing so much weight
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Kara says she finds it hard to see the true extent of her weight loss due to the overhanging skin left over from losing so much weightCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck
 Kara is due to have her excess skin removed next month
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Kara is due to have her excess skin removed next monthCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck

She added: “Excess skin affects my ability to truly see and accept how much weight I’ve actually lost.

"It can be a bit of a pain because it gets caught when I turn in my bed at night and it makes me feel self-conscious in other ways between the sheets if you know what I mean.
“It does sometimes make it hard for me to look past the obesity and it’s harder to remain active because it bounces around and hurts my back and abdomen.

"I do try to use compression clothing to keep things in place, but it only helps a little bit."

Kara is due to have her excess skin removed on September 16 this year and now uses her Instagram page as a platform to inspire and encourage others.

And she's very much enjoying the attention she is getting from her new-look.

She said: “I’ve received a lot of compliments though, this has been really nice.

"People tell me I look totally different and even younger than I did before. Looking younger can never be a bad thing can it?"

 Kara now uses her Instagram page as a platform to inspire and encourage others
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Kara now uses her Instagram page as a platform to inspire and encourage othersCredit: MDWfeatures / Kara Beck


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