A photograph of her stomach on her birthday prompted her to edit her photo – cropping out her body. Danielle said she would use dating apps but only post selfies.
Danielle lost a whopping 8.5 stone. (Image: SWNS)
A Scottish woman lost an incredible 8.5 stone after “feeling like a catfish” when she took selfies. Mum-of-three Danielle Davies, 35, weighed in at 18st 7lbs at her heaviest and was a size 22. She would treat herself to pizza and chip takeaways three times a week and explained how she would eat when she was “bored” rather than hungry.
A photograph of her stomach on her birthday prompted her to edit her photo – cropping out her body. Danielle said she would use dating apps but only post selfies and even warned potential suitors she would be “bigger than they expected” before meeting them, reports The Record.
After trying every diet in the book, Danielle decided she was at breaking point. in October 2023 she traded in takeaways and crisps for protein pancakes and overnight oats. By February 2024 she had lost 3.5st and joined a fitness bootcamp. Since then she has lost a further 5ft by adding a gym routine into her routine and now weighs 10st – and can slip into a size 8-10.
The residential care worker said: “I had tried every diet you can think of, but nothing worked. Before I met my husband, I was on dating apps, and I would only post selfies, so I didn’t have to show my body.
“One day I saw a photo on my birthday, and I tried to cut out my belly from the photo – that’s what made me change.
“I didn’t say it was a diet and took the pressure off – I just decided to start watching what I was eating and calorie counting.
“Looking back, I wasn’t happy the way I was. I went on holiday to Turkey when I was that weight and I remember I had to use the very end of the seatbelt and I was thinking I don’t want to have to use an extender so that was motivation too.”
“Through diets she’d tried before, Danielle had lost a maximum of three stone, but always ended up “putting it back on”.
She said: “I was sick to death of telling my husband, Manny, 40, I’d go on a diet and two days later I’d be eating a takeaway.
“I worked 12-hour shifts and I continuously ate.
“I would have a roll for lunch with chocolate and crisps, and I was eating when I was bored. Takeaways, pizzas – I wasn’t thinking about it.
“I’d have three takeaways a week, more if you count Greggs and things like that.”
After losing the initial 3.5 stone through calorie counting, Danielle decided to get some extra help.
She said: “I joined a bootcamp after that which gave me my exact calorie deficit. Three classes a week where I learnt my protein intake, water, steps.
“I did some running, weightlifting, burpees – everything. My exercise goal was doing a press up.
“I can now do press ups and I’m very proud of that. When I first started it, I was sick but now I can run up and down and I can do a plank.
“I still do the bootcamp now three times a week – everyone is phenomenal, no one judges, and everyone pushes you.
“I joined the gym too, so I do that once a week.”
After losing a staggering 8.5 stone, Danielle can now enjoy an active life with her children – Amy, 18, Ava, 12 and Freddy, four – again.
She said: “As a person, my image looks better. My youngest is only four and I can play with them at the park now.
“I can get the seatbelt on on the plane with loads of room left. I can run around.
“I hit 10st in July for my sister’s wedding and I never believed I’d get there. I’m no longer editing my photos or trying to shrink and make myself smaller when I’m having my photo taken.
“I don’t try and hide or disguise my body anymore. I’m comfortable at the weight I am but I just want to build my body up a bit rather than lose more weight.”
Danielle’s message to other people who might be in the same position is to “still enjoy yourself”.
She said: “One thing I can’t emphasise enough was not wanting my lifestyle to change too much.
“When you’re exercising and doing your daily activities, you’re still OK to enjoy yourself and have a break as long as you stick to it.
“Say I wanted some chocolate, I would only have that one piece or a packet of crisps would only be 100 calories so that I was semi-satisfying the calories.
“I can still live my life and enjoy myself, but just in a healthier way.”