Stunning transformation of mum who lost half her bodyweight after 'lazy' jibe

A mum incredibly transformed her body by losing half of her weight after being told she was "just fat" and "lazy".

Single mum Jameka Mauldin, 35, revealed she had piled on so much weight that she had to rely on other people to help her get out of bed and even take her to the toilet. The young mum struggled with swelling in her legs and lower body that didn't respond to any of the traditional weight loss advice.

Jameka's weight spiralled to 51 stone (325kg) but the remarkable woman fought back and has now shed over 25 stone (159kg) after a crucial diagnosis. It comes after a man claimed 'I lost 10st in a year without jabs, surgery or going to the gym'.

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Jameka, from Detroit, 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."

The mum got the answer she was looking for in 2019 when she 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.

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.

Jameka also had lipoedema, a genetic fat distribution disorder that typically affects women and is marked by the abnormal build-up of painful fat cells, particularly in the hips, thighs, and legs. It often worsens with hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy, or menopause, and cannot be reversed with diet or exercise.

The mum said this update changed her life, adding: "Getting a diagnosis changed everything. 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. Jameka said: "We're told we're just fat, or that we're lazy. But this isn't about willpower. This is medical."

The 35-year-old added: "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." The mum was left unable to walk unaided when she hit her highest weight, due to her swollen legs.

She said: "I needed help with everything, bathing, dressing, even going to the bathroom. I felt helpless. I felt humiliated. 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."

The mum revealed she experienced complications during her intense recovery period, saying: "I spent a month in a nursing home after one of my surgeries. I developed infections that nearly set me back completely. It was one of the hardest times in my life."

Jameka said she moved as much as she could, even when she was unable to walk, and slowly began to lose weight. 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.

She now walks without assistance and has returned to work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, saying: "I went from being cared for to caring for others. That's the full-circle moment that keeps me going."

She's now an advocate for lymphedema and lipedema awareness, especially in underrepresented communities. The mum said: "We need more education. More compassion. More doctors who know what they're talking about. Too many of us are suffering in silence."