Weight loss: I was called ‘Gemma Collins’ in the street so I lost 8 stone and went from a size 26 to a 10
A WOMAN who was addicted to Chinese takeaways and was nicknamed “Gemma Collins” on nights out has shed a whopping eight stone.
Chrystal-Sky Dawson, 23, from Gloucestershire was devastated when strangers would make fun of her in the street, but after swapping greasy fast food for healthy meals, the student has dropped a whopping seven dress sizes.
Chrystal-Sky has managed to shed 7st 10lbs after tipping the scales at 21st last year.
Now, the 23-year-old weighs 13st 4lbs after joining Slimming World.
“Every night out, men would jeer at me and say ‘look it’s Gemma Collins’,” she explained.
“It was mortifying as I knew they were saying I was big. Other times, men called me ‘fat’ or referred to me as the ‘fat friend.’
“They hit on my friends, who were sizes 6-12, while laughing at me.
“Since I’ve shed the pounds, I feel sexy and beautiful for the first time in my life! And men now ask for my number.”
The student explained she was overweight as a child, with classmates calling her “tubby” in school.
But by the time she was a teen, Chrystal-Sky was a healthy weight and a size 12.
However, when she left home to study Spanish and French at Swansea University, she gained three stone in just a year, clubbing five times a week and drinking high-sugar vodka Red Bulls.
“Suddenly I went from enjoying home-cooked meals every night to having the freedom to eat what I wanted,” she said.
“I went clubbing five times a week, downing 20 vodka Red Bulls each night.
“Then I gorged on Chinese, Indian and pizza takeaways afterwards, even eating a whole large pizza to myself.
“Before I knew it, I’d gained three stone during my first year.”
In September 2017, Chrystal-Sky, who is 5ft 9in tall, moved to Paris to study French and gained a further three stone, weighing in at 21st.
“I scoffed on copious amounts of cheese and guzzled red wine. Unsurprisingly, I ballooned to a size 26,” she said.
“My arms, legs and stomach were huge and I hated myself. I avoided mirrors as I couldn’t bear to see my reflection.
“When I came home, my friends were shocked at how big I’d gotten.”
It was then that Chrystal-Sky was nicknamed “Gemma Collins” on nights out.
“It isn’t an insult to be called Gemma Collins, because she is obviously beautiful,” she added.
“But it still hurt my feelings because men were hinting that I was big too. It was devastating.”
Chrystal-Sky revealed the weight was starting to affect her confidence, explaining she ended up refusing to leave the house.
“One day I went shopping with my mates. I wanted to fit in with my friends and try some clothes on, even though the shop only stocked up to a size 18,” she said.
“When the top wouldn’t fit over my head, I burst into tears and I locked myself in the changing room for two hours, sobbing.
“After that, I became a recluse and stopped seeing my mates.
“I refused to go out anywhere and stayed at home because I hated my body so much.”
By June last year, Chrystal was so fed up with her weight that she begged her mum, Lesley Dawson, 53, to help.
“I broke down to Mum, who knew I’d been unhappy for years. The next day, she took me to a Slimming World group,” she said.
“I was determined to make a change.”
Now, Chrystal-Sky has ditched takeaways for fresh fish, meats and vegetables.
Within six months, she’d lost four stone and was exercising five times a week, revealing she felt happy for “the first time ever”.
She says: “I had so much energy and felt so happy for the first time ever.”
Now, the student weighs 13st 4lbs and loves her size 12 figure.
Diet before:
- Breakfast: Bacon and egg sandwich on thick white bread with butter and ketchup
- Lunch: Lasagne and chips, diet coke
- Dinner: Stir fry
- After night out: Large pizza
- Drinks: Wine, vodka Red Bull
Diet after:
- Breakfast: Overnight oats made with fruit and yoghurt
- Lunch: Chicken and bacon salad with grapes, boiled egg
- Dinner: Homemade Slimming World lasagne
- Snacks: Fruit, yoghurt
- Drinks: Vodka and diet coke
“I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and I feel amazing,” she said.
“I went from being a couch potato to running 10k. It’s also the best feeling being able to go into a shop and wear anything I want.
“All of the laughing, ‘fat’ and ‘Gemma Collins’ jibes have stopped.
“My life has completely changed for the better, I’m never going to look back.”
In other weight loss news, we told you about one mum’s 8st weight loss WITHOUT going on strict diet plan – for the sake of her kids.
We also revealed how to get in shape for Christmas in five steps – by eating MORE earlier on.
And we showed you how one mum shed nine stone after lying about being pregnant because she was obese.