Latest news with #LauraTaylor
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Woman sheds 10 STONE without weight loss jabs after ditching THIS fizzy drink... and calorific breakfast staple
A mother-of-five who began uncontrollably eating after she was bullied as a teenager and nicknamed 'tree-trunk legs', has revealed how she dropped 10 stone—and the lifestyle changes she's made to maintain her new figure. Laura Taylor, 35, from South Yorkshire tipped the scales at 20st 1lbs at her heaviest, and wore a size 24. She admits she had always struggled with her weight and was bullied for being fat at high school, which she says is the last time she wore a skirt. The cleaning business owner says the bullying caused her develop incredibly low-self esteem, and planted the belief that no one would ever be attracted to her. Later, to numb these feelings, she developed unhealthy coping habits, and turned to food for comfort. She was soon eating McDonald's takeaways for breakfast, and swigging five cans of Coca-Cola a day, using the sugary drink to wash down snacks of chocolate, sweets and crisps. She said: 'I was bullied a lot at at school. When I used to wear skirts I'd get called "tree trunk legs". 'After a couple times of wearing skirts I never wore them again. 'Food became a comfort to me. I used to sit at home and eat food because I got bullied and I felt like no one fancied me. 'Then when I started going on dates—when I was really big—men would say they didn't realise how big I was or that my pictures looked different because they couldn't see my body. 'An hour later they would say that they had to go and then I'd get blocked.' After struggling with her weight for years, Ms Taylor decided that the only way to get her weight under control and boost her self-confidence was to have bariatric surgery, and asked to be put on the waiting list for a gastric sleeve. But her doctor told her she was not heavy enough to qualify for the surgery on the NHS. To qualify for weight loss surgery on the NHS a patient must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more—or between 35 and 40 and a health condition that could improve with weight loss, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. She said: 'I looked at the prices [to have the surgery done privately] in the UK, but it was £10,500 and I didn't have the money.' Feeling disheartened by the health service's six-year waiting list, and fears that she would have the confidence to be able to leave the house until she got a slot, Ms Taylor started looking further afield. 'I didn't see my friends or anything like that because they were all quite skinny and I was the fat one of the bunch,' she added. So the young mother decided to pay around £3,000 in total to have the surgery done in Turkey. Gastric sleeve surgery is a procedure in which surgeons remove around 80 per cent of the stomach to shrink the stomach. Since the op, Ms Taylor has lost over half her body weight and now weighs a svelte 9st 13lbs and wears a size 8. She now makes an effort to eat more healthily, swapping her Coca-Cola for protein coffees and ultra-processed takeaways have been ditched for salads, portions of lean protein, and rice. She added that since her operation she gets told she looks very different, and even some of her closest friends don't recognise her. 'I get told I look younger because I have lost a lot of weight in my face,' she said. 'I feel good in myself and people say I look amazing. I really need to start taking those compliments in because I've been fat all my life and it's hard for me to say I do actually look good.' Ms Taylor added that she now has the confidence to wear skirts and dresses again and is working on her self-confidence. Men would leave dates half-way through then block her, leaving her devastated Laura now weighs 9st 13lbs and is a slender size 8. 'I think I look a lot better now, but I think I still have the mindset of when I was fat. 'I go out and I've got men coming up to me asking to buy me a drink and I think "what do you see in me really?" Sometimes it's quite hard to take in.' But, she said the positive impact the surgery has had on her mental health is unmatched. 'I've always been the one that's sat in the corner and not really danced because I didn't want to [draw attention to myself]. 'Now, I'm on the dance floor before anyone else because I've got so much energy and I want to dance. 'The operation really did save my life. I'd still be say in the house now not going out [without it], so it has changed my life completely.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Couple 'absolutely traumatised' after stopping for scenic seaside snap in Scotland
A couple who posed for a romantic photo nearly died - when a sea railing collapsed. Stunned Ben Walsh, 40, and girlfriend Laura Taylor, 38, were strolling along the promenade when they stopped for a scenic snap. But as the picture was being taken the railing the couple were leaning against gave way - leaving Ben dangling head-first above a 15-foot drop. Ben had to be pulled back to safety by his ankles by his terrified family. The couple took a photo afterwards showing the broken banister in Gourock, Inverclyde, Scotland. Shocked Ben said: "Laura went forwards and I went backwards. I fell towards the edge but somehow managed to save myself by wrapping my leg round the pole. READ MORE: Forth bridge shut and Edinburgh motorists warned in ongoing police 'incident' READ MORE: Moment Edinburgh man 'knocked out' on packed Royal Mile in front of tourists "My mum, dad and Laura were screaming for help and pulled me to safety with the help of two passers by running to help. They all somehow managed to pull me by the ankle to safety. "The lady ran down to the bottom to try to do something if I fell. The adrenalin just kicked in and I somehow survived. I can't thank the couple enough for running over and helping save my life. "But I could easily have died. I couldn't sleep that night from going over it all in my head. It was like a nightmare. We were all absolutely traumatised by it." Ben, from Retford in Nottinghamshire, was visiting Gourock with Laura, 38, and his parents Ian, 66, and Rachel, 60, on a motorbike tour of Scotland. They'd stopped off in Gourock to take in some sights before catching the ferry to Argyll. The horror fall was captured on Laura's phone as it happened. Ben added: "It had been such a lovely evening. We had travelled up from Lumley Castle, Durham that day. We are travelling round Scotland in our motorbikes. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "We were staying in a wee holiday let next to Cleats Bar. We had a fantastic meal at Cafe Continental and went for a walk along the waterfront. It was a beautiful night, and we stopped so Laura and I could get a photograph taken. We leaned back and then it all happened." Ben, a training manager with the National Grid, says he is now seriously concerned about the safety of all the barriers in the area and called for an investigation. He said: "What concerns me the most is this railing appeared to have been welded recently. So a repair must have been carried out. "It could have easily been an elderly person or a child. They might not have been so lucky. It is extremely lucky I managed to hold on and survived. "We didn't know what to do after it happened. We brought the rail back up, and we managed to find a traffic cone before we reported it. I work with health and safety every single day. This needs to be investigated." .Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Inverclyde Council immediately took action to cordon off the section of fence that gave way. A spokesperson said: "We are aware of the incident and understand the concerns that have been raised. "A programme of inspections and repairs of seafront railings is currently being carried out in the surrounding area, and more widely across Gourock, as part of our ongoing asset management responsibilities and commitment to public safety. A review is currently under way to determine the cause of the issue at this location and to ensure that any necessary follow-up actions are taken." Ben concluded: "I applaud the councils quick reaction as they barriered the area off first thing the following morning. "I saw similarly rotten, broken railings in Oban after I left Gourock. I have also read of similar things happening across the country, for example Devon. All I ask is that people are careful when they are posing for photographs this summer in similar locations. "You wouldn't expect an item which is there for your safety to be unsafe, but this proves it can happen."
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Daily Mail
I posed for a romantic snap with my girlfriend - seconds later I was dangling head-first above a 15-foot drop and nearly died
A couple who posed for a romantic photo by the seaside have revealed how they nearly died mere seconds later when the railing collapsed. Ben Walsh, 40, from Retford in Nottinghamshire, and girlfriend Laura Taylor, 38, were strolling along the promenade in Gourock in Renfrew, near Glasgow when they stopped for a scenic snap. But as the picture was being taken, the railing the couple were leaning against gave way - leaving Ben dangling head-first above a 15-foot drop. Ben had to be pulled back to safety by his ankles by his terrified parents Ian, 66, and Rachel, 60, and luckily passersby ran to his aid. The couple took a photo afterwards showing the broken banister by the Scottish seaside. Ben has now recalled the 'nightmare' experience, adding that everyone present felt 'traumatised' by it. He said: 'Laura went forwards and I went backwards. I fell towards the edge but somehow managed to save myself by wrapping my leg round the pole. 'My mum, dad and Laura were screaming for help and pulled me to safety with the help of two passers by running to help. 'They all somehow managed to pull me by the ankle to safety. 'One lady ran down to the bottom to try to do something if I fell. The adrenalin just kicked in and I somehow survived. 'I can't thank the couple enough for running over and helping save my life. 'But I could easily have died. I couldn't sleep that night from going over it all in my head. 'It was like a nightmare. We were all absolutely traumatised by it.' Ben, Laura, and his parents Ian, and Rachel, were visiting Gourock on a motorbike tour of Scotland. They'd stopped off in Gourock to take in some sights before catching the ferry to Argyll. The horror fall was captured on Laura's phone as it happened. Ben added: 'It had been such a lovely evening. We had travelled up from Lumley Castle in Durham that day. We are travelling around Scotland in our motorbikes. 'We were staying in a wee holiday let next to Cleats Bar. We had a fantastic meal at Café Continental and went for a walk along the waterfront. 'It was a beautiful night, and we stopped so Laura and I could get a photograph taken. We leaned back and then it all happened.' Ben, a training manager with the National Grid, says he is now seriously concerned about the safety of all the barriers in the area and called for an investigation. He said: 'What concerns me the most is this railing appeared to have been welded recently. So a repair must have been carried out. 'It could have easily been an elderly person or a child. They might not have been so lucky. 'It is extremely lucky I managed to hold on and survived. 'We didn't know what to do after it happened. We brought the rail back up, and we managed to find a traffic cone before we reported it. 'I work with health and safety every single day. This needs to be investigated.' Inverclyde Council immediately took action to cordon off the section of fence that gave way. A spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the incident and understand the concerns that have been raised. 'A programme of inspections and repairs of seafront railings is currently being carried out in the surrounding area, and more widely across Gourock, as part of our ongoing asset management responsibilities and commitment to public safety. 'A review is currently under way to determine the cause of the issue at this location and to ensure that any necessary follow-up actions are taken.' Ben concluded: 'I applaud the councils quick reaction as they barriered the area off first thing the following morning. 'I saw similarly rotten, broken railings in Oban after I left Gourock. I have also read of similar things happening across the country, for example Devon. 'All I ask is that people are careful when they are posing for photographs this summer in similar locations. 'You wouldn't expect an item which is there for your safety to be unsafe, but this proves it can happen.'
The Irish Sun
05-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Men used to stand me up when they saw my 20st body now I'm half my weight without fat jabs and they race to take me out
Find out the best exercises for weight loss SHAPE SHIFTER Men used to stand me up when they saw my 20st body now I'm half my weight without fat jabs and they race to take me out A MUM halved her weight without the help of fat jabs and now men are racing to take her out. Laura Taylor was a heavy size 24 before she embarked on her weight loss journey in March 2024, after struggling with her weight since she was a teenager. Advertisement 7 Laura Taylor was previously a size 24 Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 The mum halved her body weight without the help of fat jabs Credit: Kennedy News & Media The mum claims fellas would flee dates because 'they didn't realise' her size, but now blokes try to woo her with drinks. The 35-year-old says the battle with her weight began when she was bullied for being 'fat' and branded 'tree trunk legs' by cruel bullies at high school. As a result, the mum-of-five didn't wear a skirt for decades and was reluctant to leave the house due to her size 24 figure. The self-conscious cleaning business owner would only share pictures of her face, not of her body, on her dating profiles. Advertisement Laura says when she did meet up for dates, men would sheepishly admit they 'didn't realise how big she was' before slinking off just an hour after meeting her. After trying and failing to lose the weight naturally, Laura underwent a 'life-changing' gastric sleeve operation in Turkey in March 2024. Since then, she has switched her old diet of McDonald's breakfasts, pub lunches, takeaway dinners, and five cans of Coca-Cola per day for protein coffees, fruit and chicken salads. As a result, Laura has shed a whopping 10 stone in 16 months, initially tipping the scales at 20st 1lb and dropping down to 9st 13lbs and a slinky size eight. Advertisement Following her incredible weight loss, Laura says men now race to the bar to buy her drinks - and she's finally confident enough to share full body images on her dating profile. Laura, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: "When men tell me that I look beautiful and sexy because I've lost all of my weight I do feel it. I look unrecognisable after my 14st weight loss - it's like my partner has brand new girlfriend "When I was really big I used to go on dates and then an hour later they would say that they had to go and then I'd get blocked. "They used to say that they didn't realise how big I was or that my pictures looked different because they couldn't see my body. Advertisement "I never used to show my body [on my dating profile], I just used to show my face. "I include pictures of my body now. All of my profile pictures are of my full body because I feel more confident in myself now I've lost weight. "I think I look a lot better, but I think I still have the mindset of when I was fat. "I go out and I've got men coming up to me asking to buy me a drink and I'm like 'what do you see in me really?' Sometimes it's quite hard to take in." Advertisement Problems with Laura's weight first began when she received cruel comments from bullies at high school. Laura said: "I've had an issue with my weight all my life, really since I was a teenager. "I got a lot of bullying at school because when I used to wear skirts I'd get called 'tree trunk legs' and fat. "After a couple times of wearing skirts I never wore them again. Advertisement "I never wanted to go to school with a skirt on because I used to get called that all the time. "Food was a comfort for me. I used to sit at home and eat food because I got bullied and I felt like nobody fancied me." After struggling with her weight since she was a teen, Laura decided to commit to having gastric sleeve surgery. What is the difference between a gastric band, bypass and sleeve? The three most widely used types of weight loss surgery are: Gastric band: where a band is used to reduce the stomach's size, meaning you will feel full after eating a reduced amount of food where a band is used to reduce the stomach's size, meaning you will feel full after eating a reduced amount of food Gastric bypass: where your digestive system is re-routed past stomach, so you digest less food and it takes less to make you feel full where your digestive system is re-routed past stomach, so you digest less food and it takes less to make you feel full Sleeve gastrectomy: where some of the stomach is removed, to reduce the amount of food required to make you feel full When coupled with exercise and a healthy diet, weight loss surgery has been found to be effective in dramatically reducing a patient's excess body fat. Recent research in the United States found that people with gastric bands lose around half of their excess body weight. Meanwhile gastric bypasses reduce this excess body weight by two thirds post-op. However, it's not always successful - and patients still need to take responsibility for eating well and working out. Laura said: "I went to the doctors and asked to be put on the waiting list for a gastric sleeve in the UK but they told me I wasn't big enough. Advertisement "I looked at the prices in the UK but it was £10,500 and I didn't have the money. "When I was pricing it up it was so much cheaper in Turkey than it was over here. "It was £2,400 and then the flights were £600, so about £3,000 in total. "The NHS was a six-year waiting list and I couldn't wait that long because I didn't leave the house. Advertisement "I didn't see my friends or anything like that because they were all quite skinny and I was the fat one of the bunch." Since having the £3,000 op, Laura says she gets told she looks younger and some of her friends don't even recognise her when they see her in the street. Laura said: "I get told I look younger because I have lost a lot of weight in my face. "I feel good in myself and people say that I look amazing. Advertisement "I do need to start taking those compliments in because I've been fat all of my life it's hard for me to say I do actually look good. "A lot of friends haven't seen me in the past 18 months and when I've been out they've walked past me. "I've had to tap them on the shoulder and say 'do you not recognise me?'." Laura says she now finally has the confidence to wear skirts and dresses again and will even be wearing a bikini when she goes on holiday in August. Advertisement Laura said: "I never used to wear the stuff I wear now, there's no way I would be putting on a dress on above my knees. "I don't go out in jeans now, I only wear skirts or dresses." Laura says the operation 'saved her life' and has had a positive impact on her socially. Laura said: "I've always been the one [in my friend group] that's sat in the corner and not really danced because I didn't want to. Advertisement "I'm on the dance floor before anyone else now because I've got so much energy I want to dance. "The operation saved my life. I'd still be sat in the house now not going out, so it has changed my life completely." Here's what Laura would eat in a day. TYPICAL FOOD DIARY BEFORE WEIGHTLOSS Advertisement Breakfast - McDonalds breakfast Lunch - Pub lunch mixed grill or English breakfast Dinner - Takeaway or chips and sausages Snacks - Chocolate, sweets, crisps and five cans of Coca-Cola per day Advertisement TYPICAL FOOD DIARY AFTER WEIGHTLOSS Breakfast - Protein coffee Lunch - None Dinner - Chicken salad, chilli or chicken and rice Advertisement Snacks - Apples, cheese strings, decaf coffee 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 7 Men used to stand her up after clocking her larger size Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 Laura underwent a gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 Her battle with weight began when she was bullied for being 'fat' in high school Credit: Kennedy News & Media Advertisement 7 Now the mum says men are racing to buy her drinks Credit: Kennedy News & Media
Scottish Sun
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Men used to stand me up when they saw my 20st body now I'm half my weight without fat jabs and they race to take me out
Find out the best exercises for weight loss SHAPE SHIFTER Men used to stand me up when they saw my 20st body now I'm half my weight without fat jabs and they race to take me out Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUM halved her weight without the help of fat jabs and now men are racing to take her out. Laura Taylor was a heavy size 24 before she embarked on her weight loss journey in March 2024, after struggling with her weight since she was a teenager. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Laura Taylor was previously a size 24 Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 The mum halved her body weight without the help of fat jabs Credit: Kennedy News & Media The mum claims fellas would flee dates because 'they didn't realise' her size, but now blokes try to woo her with drinks. The 35-year-old says the battle with her weight began when she was bullied for being 'fat' and branded 'tree trunk legs' by cruel bullies at high school. As a result, the mum-of-five didn't wear a skirt for decades and was reluctant to leave the house due to her size 24 figure. The self-conscious cleaning business owner would only share pictures of her face, not of her body, on her dating profiles. Laura says when she did meet up for dates, men would sheepishly admit they 'didn't realise how big she was' before slinking off just an hour after meeting her. After trying and failing to lose the weight naturally, Laura underwent a 'life-changing' gastric sleeve operation in Turkey in March 2024. Since then, she has switched her old diet of McDonald's breakfasts, pub lunches, takeaway dinners, and five cans of Coca-Cola per day for protein coffees, fruit and chicken salads. As a result, Laura has shed a whopping 10 stone in 16 months, initially tipping the scales at 20st 1lb and dropping down to 9st 13lbs and a slinky size eight. Following her incredible weight loss, Laura says men now race to the bar to buy her drinks - and she's finally confident enough to share full body images on her dating profile. Laura, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, said: "When men tell me that I look beautiful and sexy because I've lost all of my weight I do feel it. I look unrecognisable after my 14st weight loss - it's like my partner has brand new girlfriend "When I was really big I used to go on dates and then an hour later they would say that they had to go and then I'd get blocked. "They used to say that they didn't realise how big I was or that my pictures looked different because they couldn't see my body. "I never used to show my body [on my dating profile], I just used to show my face. "I include pictures of my body now. All of my profile pictures are of my full body because I feel more confident in myself now I've lost weight. "I think I look a lot better, but I think I still have the mindset of when I was fat. "I go out and I've got men coming up to me asking to buy me a drink and I'm like 'what do you see in me really?' Sometimes it's quite hard to take in." Problems with Laura's weight first began when she received cruel comments from bullies at high school. Laura said: "I've had an issue with my weight all my life, really since I was a teenager. "I got a lot of bullying at school because when I used to wear skirts I'd get called 'tree trunk legs' and fat. "After a couple times of wearing skirts I never wore them again. "I never wanted to go to school with a skirt on because I used to get called that all the time. "Food was a comfort for me. I used to sit at home and eat food because I got bullied and I felt like nobody fancied me." After struggling with her weight since she was a teen, Laura decided to commit to having gastric sleeve surgery. What is the difference between a gastric band, bypass and sleeve? The three most widely used types of weight loss surgery are: Gastric band: where a band is used to reduce the stomach's size, meaning you will feel full after eating a reduced amount of food where a band is used to reduce the stomach's size, meaning you will feel full after eating a reduced amount of food Gastric bypass: where your digestive system is re-routed past stomach, so you digest less food and it takes less to make you feel full where your digestive system is re-routed past stomach, so you digest less food and it takes less to make you feel full Sleeve gastrectomy: where some of the stomach is removed, to reduce the amount of food required to make you feel full When coupled with exercise and a healthy diet, weight loss surgery has been found to be effective in dramatically reducing a patient's excess body fat. Recent research in the United States found that people with gastric bands lose around half of their excess body weight. Meanwhile gastric bypasses reduce this excess body weight by two thirds post-op. However, it's not always successful - and patients still need to take responsibility for eating well and working out. Laura said: "I went to the doctors and asked to be put on the waiting list for a gastric sleeve in the UK but they told me I wasn't big enough. "I looked at the prices in the UK but it was £10,500 and I didn't have the money. "When I was pricing it up it was so much cheaper in Turkey than it was over here. "It was £2,400 and then the flights were £600, so about £3,000 in total. "The NHS was a six-year waiting list and I couldn't wait that long because I didn't leave the house. "I didn't see my friends or anything like that because they were all quite skinny and I was the fat one of the bunch." Since having the £3,000 op, Laura says she gets told she looks younger and some of her friends don't even recognise her when they see her in the street. Laura said: "I get told I look younger because I have lost a lot of weight in my face. "I feel good in myself and people say that I look amazing. "I do need to start taking those compliments in because I've been fat all of my life it's hard for me to say I do actually look good. "A lot of friends haven't seen me in the past 18 months and when I've been out they've walked past me. "I've had to tap them on the shoulder and say 'do you not recognise me?'." Laura says she now finally has the confidence to wear skirts and dresses again and will even be wearing a bikini when she goes on holiday in August. Laura said: "I never used to wear the stuff I wear now, there's no way I would be putting on a dress on above my knees. "I don't go out in jeans now, I only wear skirts or dresses." Laura says the operation 'saved her life' and has had a positive impact on her socially. Laura said: "I've always been the one [in my friend group] that's sat in the corner and not really danced because I didn't want to. "I'm on the dance floor before anyone else now because I've got so much energy I want to dance. "The operation saved my life. I'd still be sat in the house now not going out, so it has changed my life completely." Here's what Laura would eat in a day. TYPICAL FOOD DIARY BEFORE WEIGHTLOSS Breakfast - McDonalds breakfast Lunch - Pub lunch mixed grill or English breakfast Dinner - Takeaway or chips and sausages Snacks - Chocolate, sweets, crisps and five cans of Coca-Cola per day TYPICAL FOOD DIARY AFTER WEIGHTLOSS Breakfast - Protein coffee Lunch - None Dinner - Chicken salad, chilli or chicken and rice Snacks - Apples, cheese strings, decaf coffee 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 7 Men used to stand her up after clocking her larger size Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 Laura underwent a gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 Her battle with weight began when she was bullied for being 'fat' in high school Credit: Kennedy News & Media 7 Now the mum says men are racing to buy her drinks Credit: Kennedy News & Media
