Obese mother sheds EIGHT stone after making a weight loss vow at wedding where she felt too fat to be a bridesmaid

  • Mother, 21, refused to be a bridesmaid for her aunt
  • Overhauled her lifestyle and ditched takeaways and took up exercise 
  • Was 21st and size 26 and is now 13st and size 14 

A student who refused to be a bridesmaid at her aunt’s wedding because she believed she was too fat has lost eight stone and says she feels 'incredible' as a result.

At 21st and a size 26, Gemma Wright, 21, was horrified when her aunt asked her to be bridesmaid at her wedding in May 2013.

Mortified at the thought of walking down the aisle, the mother-of-one refused and attended as a guest instead, covering up in a long-sleeved dress and standing at the back of the church.

Before she overhauled her diet, Miss Wright, pictured here at her heaviest, tucked into a full English breakfast, half a pizza for lunch and a takeaway chicken jalfrezi with rice, chips, samosas and spring rolls for dinner
Gemma  Wright, 21, has lost eight stone after she refused to be a bridesmaid at her aunt's wedding because she believed she was too fat. She now weighs 13st and is  size 14

Gemma Wright, 21, has lost eight stone after she refused to be a bridesmaid at her aunt's wedding because she believed she was too fat. She now weighs 13st and is size 14

Gemma (right) refused to be a bridesmaid for her aunt Cathy (left) because of her size

Gemma (right) refused to be a bridesmaid for her aunt Cathy (left) because of her size

As she watched her aunt exchange her wedding vows, Gemma made a vow of her own - and went on to lose 8st through diet and exercise.

Gemma, from Liverpool, said: 'I had to cover up in a black, floaty dress with sleeves and spent the day gazing at the beautiful outfits that the other guests were wearing.

'As I watched Aunt Cathy exchange her vows, I promised myself I was going to change. 

'My aunt’s wedding was the happiest day of her life - and a real turning point in mine.'

Gemma, a criminology student, first piled on the pounds after giving birth to her son Lennon in June 2012.

She said: 'It’s hard being a new mother - I had to feed my son and get him to sleep all while keeping myself well fed.

Gemma wore a long black dress that covered her body and hid her arms at her aunt Cathy's wedding

Gemma wore a long black dress that covered her body and hid her arms at her aunt Cathy's wedding

Miss Wright first piled on the pounds after giving birth to her son in 2012, left, but has ditched her unhealthy diet and taken up exercise to lose weight, right
Miss Wright first piled on the pounds after giving birth to her son in 2012, left, but has ditched her unhealthy diet and taken up exercise to lose weight, right

Gemma first piled on the pounds after giving birth to her son in 2012, left, but has ditched her unhealthy diet and taken up exercise to lose weight, right, and is now a healthy size 14

'In the end I let my diet slip. It was easier to grab whatever food was around than to watch what I ate.

'I would eat whenever I had a spare moment, which meant I crammed my mouth full of crisps and chocolate.'

Soon she tipped the scales at a staggering 21st 3lb and hid her frame in size 26 clothes.

In late 2012, she was asked by her aunt if she would be her bridesmaid alongside her younger cousins.

Gemma said: 'We talked about it forever but I was not comfortable walking down the aisle the size I was.

'I begged Cathy to let just my younger cousins do it. She didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable in a bridesmaids' dress - so I stood at the back with my son in a black dress.

Now, Gemma eats porridge for breakfast, a tuna salad for lunch and a Weight Watchers lasagne for dinner

Now, Gemma eats porridge for breakfast, a tuna salad for lunch and a Weight Watchers lasagne for dinner

Miss Wright was asked to be a bridesmaid to her aunt but says she was not comfortable walking down the aisle the size she was so changed her life
Miss Wright was asked to be a bridesmaid to her aunt but says she was not comfortable walking down the aisle the size she was so changed her life

Gemma hid her size 26 frame in a black baggy dress at her aunt's wedding (right) after she hit 21 stone (right)

'I was the biggest person at the wedding. There were friends and relatives I hadn’t seen in years and they were not used to seeing me at the size I was. They still remembered me as a cute little girl.'

On the evening of the wedding Gemma logged into Facebook and stared with envy at a friend’s dramatic weight loss.

Staring at her own reflection, she messaged her asking for tips on how to lose weight.

She said: 'I knew I needed to change - it was ridiculous that I couldn’t be my aunt's bridesmaid because I was too fat.

'My friend sent me a custom meal plan she had drawn up. I decided to get my own diet under control.'

Gemma, right, pictured with friend Louise Manisold, said she used to struggle to walk upstairs

Gemma, right, pictured with friend Louise Manisold, said she used to struggle to walk upstairs

Determined, she swapped fried breakfasts and fatty takeaways for fresh vegetables, lean meat and fish.

Before she overhauled her diet, Gemma would tuck into a full English breakfast, half a pizza for lunch and a takeaway chicken jalfrezi with rice, chips, samosas and spring rolls. Throughout the day she would snack on crisps, chocolate, ice cream and cookies.

Now, Gemma eats porridge for breakfast, a tuna salad for lunch and a Weight Watchers lasagne with salad for dinner. Throughout the day she snacks on Alpen bars, Ryvita and apples.

She started working out at home to exercise videos. Four months later she joined the gym and started attending four times a week, losing 8st so she now weighs 13st and is a healthy size 14.

She said: 'I used to struggle to walk upstairs and I always had terrible back ache and joint ache. I hated not being able to play with my baby without getting out of breath.

'I can now fit into all the slim dresses I used to wear before I was fat - I feel absolutely incredible.'


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