Woman who lost 208LBS in 15 months by working out six times a week undergoes surgery to remove her excess skin and achieve the body she has always wanted
- Kaitlyn Smith, 20, from Portland, Oregon, weighed 414lbs at her heaviest
- With the help of a beach body coach she lost over half her weight
- In order to remove all of her excess skin, Kaitlyn had three operations
- She is now continuing to follow her strict diet and workout plan
A young woman who lost a staggering 208lbs in 15 months has undergone her final surgery to remove 34lbs of excess skin.
At her heaviest, Kaitlyn Smith, who is 5'5', weighed a hefty 414lbs - and was advised by medical experts to seek gastric bypass surgery in order to help her get down to a healthy size.
However, after a bad experience with a rude surgeon, the 20-year-old from Portland, Oregon, opted to seek help from a beach body coach for help instead, who put her on a strict workout and diet regime.
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Before and after: At her heaviest, Kaitlyn Smith weighed 414lbs (left), before she managed to lose an impressive 208lbs in just 15 months (right)
Doing it her own way: Kaitlyn, who is pictured before her weight loss, was advised to undergo a gastric bypass, however a bad experience with a rude surgeon motivated her to seek help from a weight loss coach instead
Toned and trim: The Portland resident followed a strict exercise and eating plan, which saw her working out six times a week
By working out six times a week and following a carefully-crafted healthy eating plan, Kaitlyn, was able to shed the blubber.
However her incredible weight loss left her with saggy excess skin that required three operations over eight months to remove.
The procedures included a tummy tuck, a Brazilian butt lift and removal of skin from her chest, back and arms.
And following her final operation on September 20, Kaitlyn has now revealed her new figure for the first time.
Finding new foods: In order to find a diet plan that she knew she would stick to, Kaitlyn tried to learn about healthy alternatives to some of her favorite meals
Staying strong: Kaitlyn admitted that she found the workouts incredibly tough, and she was in constant pain for much of the first year
Breaking bad habits: 'I'm the only one in my family to eat healthy so I had to learn to be self-disciplined whenever we went out and they ate things I wanted,' Kaitlyn explained
'There was nothing easy about this journey,' she explained.
'It was very hard especially at first. My body ached from workouts and some days I didn't think I would make it.
'I had to learn how to make my foods healthy. I never had a cheat meal or day for the first year and a half.
'I'm the only one in my family to eat healthy so I had to learn to be self-disciplined whenever we went out and they ate things I wanted.
Half-way there: After shedding all of her unwanted weight, Kaitlyn was left with an enormous amount of sagging excess skin
Ready for the next step: Kaitlyn started a GoFundMe account in the hopes of raising enough money to pay for the three surgeries she required to remove the excess skin
Success! In the end, Dr. Michael Salzhauer a surgeon based in Miami, offered to do the procedures for free
'The hardest part was the mental aspect of it - I was my biggest bully and talked to myself horribly.
'I had to realize I was worth more, and to work past those negative thoughts.'
In order to try and cover the staggering costs of her surgery, Kaitlyn was Initially relying on a GoFundMe page, which she was hoping would raise enough to pay for her procedures.
But after hearing about her battle online, Miami-based surgeon, Dr. Michael Salzhauer, offered to provide the operations for free.
'Losing 208lbs left me with lots of excess skin which leads to many complications such as infections, tearing, smells, irritation, joint pains, pulling and mental issues,' she said.
Finally free: 'Losing 208lbs left me with lots of excess skin which leads to many complications such as infections, tearing, smells, irritation, joint pains, pulling and mental issues,' Kaitlyn explained
Moving on: Kaitlyn is sticking to her healthy eating and diet plans and is determined to maintain her weight loss
Happy as can be: 'I am no longer a bitter, envious, depressed teenager. I am a happy, smiley, outgoing girl who loves herself and life,' Kaitlyn said of her weight loss journey
'You lose all this weight and you just want to feel beautiful in your own skin - but you feel like you're sitting in your old shell, that you want to break out of.
'Now I feel like I'm actually living again - I'm enjoying every day I am blessed with.
'I'm always trying new things and not taking a thing for granted.
'I am no longer a bitter, envious, depressed teenager. I am a happy, smiley, outgoing girl who loves herself and life.'
The tenacious young adult now runs a blog to encourage others to keep fit and healthy and with 55,000 followers on social media, has hopes of turning it into a full-time career.
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