A woman in New Zealand lost more than 100 pounds after she was turned away from a bridal shop because of her size.
DJ Jarman, 30, from Hamilton, New Zealand, weighed about 264 pounds when she went wedding dress shopping in 2012, according to a report published by DailyMail.com.
But when she asked to look at dresses inside one particular boutique, she was told she should look somewhere else.
“I was told by the attendant ‘we definitely won't have anything in your size here. You'll need to get a dress specially made,’” Jarman, now a mother of two, told press agency Media Drum World. “After ten years of being overweight, I'd had enough."
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At the time, Jarman said doing basic things were challenging.
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“My body had to work so hard every day just to get out of bed, to play with my kids, to do literally anything was the biggest struggle,” she said. “I hid from the world a lot and would avoid busy places wherever possible. I really became invisible for almost a decade.”
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But after the incident at the bridal boutique, Jarman decided it was time for a change.
According to the DailyMail.com report, Jarman worked for several years to lose weight, trying several diets including intermittent fasting, the keto diet and plant-based diets -- but none of them worked.
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Finally, she decided to undergo vertical gastric sleeve surgery last April, which she said has transformed her life.
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“I work out every day except Sunday and I love a good cardio session, but also enjoy strength days,” Jarman said. “I get told everyday how amazing I look; it still makes me blush. I'm not very good at taking compliments.”
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According to DailyMail.com, Jarman now weighs about 147 pounds. In an Instagram post from April, Jarman said she reached that weight in February of this year.
'”Most people are gobsmacked by my weight loss, especially the ones who haven't seen me since before my operation,” Jarman said. “The best compliment for me, is when people compliment my hard work instead of my looks.”
Jarman has posted about her weight loss journey on several social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok, describing what it took for her to lose the 117 pounds, answering people’s questions and encouraging others who want to make changes in their lives.
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She told Media Drum World that if people are having trouble with losing weight through diet and exercise, they shouldn’t be afraid to look into getting “surgical help.”
“If you have tried everything and nothing has been successful, look into it,” she said. “Your life is only lived once, don't waste it being unhappy and unhealthy. Do whatever it takes to make this life the best life ever.”