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Photographer, 35, reveals staggering 15st weight loss in incredible time-lapse video – as she shares diet secrets
Leah shares what her typical daily diet looked like before her drastic weight loss, and reveals what she eats now
A PHOTOGRAPHER has documented her staggering 15st weight loss in a time lapse video spanning two years.
At her heaviest, Leah Hope Mancuso, 35, weighed almost 400lbs and felt like every step “was a burden”.
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But it was an eye-opening trip to Disneyland in 2022 that made her realise she didn't want to live like that anymore - and helped her kickstart her incredible weight loss journey.
Now, she has showcased her jaw-dropping transformation in a time lapse video and revealed the diet and exercise secrets that helped her shed half her body weight.
Leah often used to turn to junk food and unhealthy snacks as a way to feel full while getting on with her busy lifestyle.
As she piled on the pounds, she found herself being less and less active.
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At her heaviest, Leah tipped the scales at 28.5 stone.
But she didn't realise the full extent of the weight gain until she went on holiday to Disneyland with her sister and family.
“It was the heaviest I had ever been trying to enjoy a day at a theme park,” the photographer, from Scottsdale, Arizona, said.
“Being an aunt has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and I didn’t want to miss out on this experience with my nephew, so I went knowing it would be difficult for me.
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“Within a few hours, I had a migraine, my feet hurt, my back hurt and I was profusely sweating.
“I took breaks as often as I could, but I ended up having to spend the last part of the day by myself, sitting at a table with my eyes closed to manage the migraine.
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“That night I felt foolish for thinking I would be able to handle it and knew I couldn’t continue down the path I was on.
“I didn’t want to live a life where a day at the supposed ‘happiest place on earth’ was actually the most miserable for me.”
When she got home from the trip in March 2022, she knew something had to change.
She said: “I lived a life where I started to move as little as possible because every step felt like a burden.
“I was becoming more uncomfortable in my body and realised how hard it was just to get through my daily life at my size."
TAKING CONTROL
Leah scrutinised her eating and exercise habits and began making small changes.
“On most days the only time I left the house was to pick up whatever food I was craving that day," she said.
“I usually had Starbucks most mornings – a Venti Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel drizzle, a blueberry muffin and a danish.
“I would often pick up another meal for lunch or dinner, something like an In-N-Out burger, where I’d get two orders of fries so I could eat one with my burger and save one for a snack.
“I also ate frozen food pretty often when I ate at home, easy things I could heat up like taquitos or burritos.”
I still love to have something sweet like a popsicle or berries with whipped cream and chocolate chips to end the day!
Leah Hope Mancuso
Leah weighed 398 pounds, (28.4 stone) when she began her journey.
She said: “I started being mindful of what I was eating by writing it down in a food journal.
“After practising mindfulness, I decided to take a little more control over my results and after about six weeks began tracking my calorie intake.
“I also started walking 10 minutes a day because that was about all I could do at one time.
“But as I built up my endurance I was able to go from 10 minutes to 15, then 20, then 30.
“Then I added swimming to the mix and eventually strength training, playing pickleball and hiking as well.
“About a year into my journey, I hired a personal trainer who I’ve worked with regularly since.”
'LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER'
Leah currently weighs 185 lbs, (13.2 stone).
She said: “Daily eating now looks like scrambled eggs with cheese mixed in and fruit or poached eggs on a piece of sourdough bread with butter along with coffee with collagen, cream and sugar for breakfast.
“Lunch is a cottage cheese bowl, with maple syrup to sweeten, granola and fruit.
“Another lunch I often have is an open sandwich with ham or tuna on sourdough.
“For dinner, I typically have chicken and potatoes or pasta with chicken sausage and a vegetable like broccoli or bell peppers.
Leah's diet before and after her weight loss
BEFORE her fateful trip to Disneyland, Leah's meals were often junk food-heavy and she only left the house to pick up the food she was craving.
Her diet consisted of:
- Breakfast: Starbucks Venti Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel drizzle, a blueberry muffin and a pastry
- Lunch: In-N-Out burger and chips
- Dinner: Frozen taquitos or burritos
- Snack: Left over chips from takeout
Leah began keeping and food journal and making an effort to eat mindfully.
Her diet now consists of:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with cheese and fruit or poached eggs on sourdough bread with butter, plus coffee with collagen, cream and sugar
- Lunch: Cottage cheese bowl, with maple syrup, granola and fruit or an open sandwich with ham or tuna
- Dinner: Chicken and potatoes or pasta with chicken sausage and broccoli or bell peppers
- Snack: Protein bar or shake
- Dessert: An ice lolly or berries with whipped cream and chocolate chips
“A snack will typically be a protein bar or shake.
“I still love to have something sweet like a popsicle or berries with whipped cream and chocolate chips to end the day!”
Leah claims she now feels good, healthy and capable in her new body.
She said: “I was living such a limited life before because my size and abilities held me back in so many ways.
“I thought my life was easier before, that's why I continued with the unhealthy patterns I created for myself.
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“But it wasn't easier, it was just less.
“Life is so much better now. Not because I'm closer to society's standard of beauty, but because I have so much more of the things that truly matter.”
How to lose weight safely
Losing weight should be a long-term commitment to healthier living, rather than any drastic measures.
The NHS tips - which can be adopted slowly - include:
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
- Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that's high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day
Read about:
- The five fat loss foundations
- The calorie formula for weight loss
- The perfect portion sizes for meals to lose weight
- Sun Health's 8-week weight loss kick start plan
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