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Woman buys bikini to 'celebrate' after losing 79kgs

A woman has been totally transformed after losing 79kgs – and has bought her first bikini to celebrate!

Kylie Merola, 22, from Florida, weighed 148kg at her heaviest, having been overweight since she was just five.

Kylie Merola has lost 79kgs and has celebrated by buying her first ever bikini! Source: Caters News
Kylie Merola has lost 79kgs and has celebrated by buying her first ever bikini! Source: Caters News

But after being mortified by her size at her graduation ceremony, Kylie decided enough was enough and sought out surgery.

Kylie, a waitress, said: "I didn't want to be the biggest person graduating.

"I knew my classmates would be laughing at me or making fun and I felt so embarrassed.

"After, I was determined to do whatever it took to lose weight. I knew if I didn't take drastic actions I could end up weighing more within a few years.”

At her graduation ceremony, Kylie was embarrassed by her own body. Source: Caters News
At her graduation ceremony, Kylie was embarrassed by her own body. Source: Caters News

In 2014 she had gastric bypass surgery, which combined with healthier eating saw her shed half her body weight.

However, she was devastated to be left with large flaps of excess skin.

"My weight loss surgery was just a tool. From there I had to watch what I ate to make sure I consumed all the nutrients I needed and exercised regularly,” she said.

"While I was happy after shedding the weight, no one told me my body would be so disfigured.

"My body went from huge and solid and to being smaller but with hanging flabby skin. It looked like pizza dough.”

In a bid to finally get the body of her dreams, Kylie went under the knife again and had over 17kgs of skin cut away from her body.

"I used to have rolls and the skin on my arms used to jiggle like bat wings,” she recalls.

Kylie has had more than 17kgs of excess skin removed. Source: Caters News
Kylie has had more than 17kgs of excess skin removed. Source: Caters News

Now a healthy 69kgs, she's celebrated her incredible transformation by buying her first ever bikini.

She said: "I'm much happier than how I was before. Sometimes I wake up and think, 'Wow, that's me.'"

Kylie puts her weight gain down to a bad diet and having PCOS.

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"I was always heavier. People would make comments like 'thunder thighs' and say I was the 'fat girl',” she said.

“Now I feel good about myself and want to keep going. I'll never revert back to who I was before."

Additional reporting by Caters News

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