I topped 51st after trying everything to stop my legs growing – but then I finally found a cure & it's not Mounjaro
Jameka Mauldin, a mum from the US, claimed she was a prisoner in her own body.
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She piled on so much weight she had to rely on others to help her out of bed and even take her to the toilet.
Jameka's health had gotten so bad, she feared every night might be her last.
For years, the 35-year-old single mum struggled with swelling in her legs and lower body that didn't respond to any of the traditional weight loss advice.
Jameka said: 'Doctors told me to eat less and move more, but no matter what I did, my legs just kept growing.
'It wasn't just fat. It felt different. It was heavy, tight, painful. I knew something was wrong.'
So wrong, that Jameka's weight spiralled to 51 stone.
But this remarkable woman fought back and has now shed over 25 stone.
It was in 2019, she finally got the answers she'd been begging for.
Jameka was diagnosed with lymphedema, a chronic condition that causes lymph fluid to build up in the body's soft tissue, leading to painful swelling, especially in the arms and legs.
On top of that, she also had lipedema, a fat distribution disorder that typically affects women and is marked by the abnormal buildup of painful fat cells, particularly in the hips, thighs, and legs.
'Getting a diagnosis changed everything,' she said.
'I cried. Not because I was scared, but because I finally had a name for what I'd been going through all these years.
'Now I'm finally free. And I'm not just doing this for me, I'm doing it for every woman who's ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to just 'try harder'.'
Both conditions are progressive and incurable, and sadly, both are often ignored or misdiagnosed, especially in black women.
'We're told we're just fat, or that we're lazy,' Jameka said.
'But this isn't about willpower. This is medical.'
Lymphedema occurs when the body's lymphatic system is damaged or blocked, preventing fluid from draining properly.
This leads to swelling, skin changes, discomfort, infections like cellulitis, and even severe mobility issues.
Lipedema, meanwhile, is a genetic, hormonal condition that causes disproportionate fat buildup in the lower body.
It often worsens with hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy, or menopause, and cannot be reversed with diet or exercise.
Jameka said: 'People need to know this isn't their fault."
'You can be doing everything right and still be gaining weight because your body is holding fluid and fat in ways you can't control.'
By the time Jameka hit her peak weight, her legs were so swollen she could no longer walk unaided.
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'I needed help with everything, bathing, dressing, even going to the bathroom. I felt helpless. I felt humiliated, she says.'
'I've worked as a caregiver and nursing assistant since 2010. But when my health declined, I had to take a full year off for surgeries and recovery.'
During her most intense recovery period, complications arose.
'I spent a month in a nursing home after one of my surgeries,' she shared.
'I developed infections that nearly set me back completely. It was one of the hardest times in my life.'
Eventually, she was admitted to a care facility, no longer able to manage daily life at home.
'I became a resident in a nursing home. That was my rock bottom.'
But instead of giving up, she made a decision: if she couldn't walk, she'd crawl.
If she couldn't do everything at once, she'd do something.
'Every day I told myself, 'Just one thing, Jameka. Just do one thing today'.'
That one thing turned into another. And another. And slowly, the weight began to drop.
Today, Jameka has lost more than half her body weight through lifestyle changes, physical therapy, and a series of targeted liposuction surgeries to remove damaged lymphatic tissue from her legs.
The 5 best exercises to lose weight
By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist
EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you?
As a PT and fitness journalist, I've tried everything.
I've taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates.
Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas!
The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit.
My top five forms of exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight, are:
Walking
Running
Pilates
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Strength training
She now walks without assistance and has returned to work, not as a patient, but as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
'I went from being cared for to caring for others. That's the full-circle moment that keeps me going.'
Her daughter, 15-year-old Jamya, has been by her side throughout.
'She's my reason. Every time I wanted to quit, I thought of her,' says Jameka.
'I still have loose skin. I still have bad days. But now I love the woman in the mirror. Because I know what she's been through.'
One of her most powerful messages was 'Stop waiting for someone to clap for you. Clap for your damn self.'
She's now an advocate for lymphedema and lipedema awareness, especially in underrepresented communities.
'We need more education. More compassion. More doctors who know what they're talking about. Too many of us are suffering in silence,' she said.
Jameka now has nearly 100,000 Instagram followers as @meekmeek2u_ but also hopes to write a book about her battle and speak publicly to educate others about these often-hidden illnesses.
For anyone living with pain, swelling, or shame, her message is loud and clear: 'You're not lazy. You're not broken. You're not alone. Keep going.'
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