A mother who endured mockery in a vicious online clip for being a 'fatty bum bum' has 'proved everyone wrong' by shedding 17 stone in merely a year - without weight loss injections or surgical intervention.
Catherine Skippen, from Bottesford, Leicestershire, tipped the scales at 30 stone at her peak and wore a size 28, finding it difficult to remain standing for longer than two minutes without discomfort.
The 28-year-old carer said she was left devastated after strangers recorded her walking through her town before discovering the footage had been posted on social media accompanied by the track 'Hey fatty bum bum' by artist Carl Malcolm.
Rather than allowing it to crush her spirit, Catherine channelled it as inspiration to entirely overhaul her way of life. She began using an exercise bike at home for ten-minute sessions and eliminated sausage rolls and pizza in favour of fruit bowls and chicken skewers.
Now tipping the scales at 12st 10lbs and fitting into a size 10, she says she feels like a 'completely different person' and can finally savour life with her five-year-old daughter.
Catherine, a carer, said: 'When I saw the video, I was heartbroken and embarrassed. It really knocked me, but at the same time it made something click in my head. I thought I can either let this destroy me or I can prove everyone wrong - and that's exactly what I set out to do, not just for other people, but for myself as well.'
'I'd been big all my life and I was bullied at school for my weight, so I'd always struggled. But when I hit 30 stone, I knew something had to change.'
At her peak weight two years ago, aged 26, Catherine revealed that even the most straightforward everyday activities felt like an enormous struggle. She said: 'I couldn't stand at the sink to do the washing up for more than a couple of minutes without being in pain. I was constantly out of breath and wheezing, and even walking short distances hurt my ankles so much I had to keep stopping. I used to make excuses all the time and say, I'll start tomorrow, but tomorrow never came.'
Resolute in her determination to transform her life in July 2025, she embarked on brief sessions using an exercise bike. Catherine, who spoke to Talk to the Press, said: 'At the start I couldn't even do 10 minutes without feeling exhausted, but I just kept pushing myself a little bit more each time. I built it up to half an hour, and when I started losing weight and got down to around 25 stone, I realised I could do more.'
'That's when I started working out for longer, then added walking and eventually weights as well.' She now walks for as long as two hours daily and undertakes 30 minutes of weight training several times each week.
Catherine said: 'Now I actually enjoy walking, it's something I look forward to rather than dread. I train three times a week and it's just part of my routine now. At the beginning my partner helped motivate me, but now it's just my normal life. You have to be stubborn-minded because you do hit plateaus. I'd lose five pounds and then nothing would happen and it felt like hitting a wall. But I just kept going because I knew giving up would only take me backwards.'
'People now in my village, they stop me on the street and they ask me how I did it. I am nice to them even though the video went around of me, but I do keep it short and sweet with them.'
In addition to exercise, Catherine completely transformed her diet after independently researching calories and nutrition. She explained: 'Before, I was eating anything and everything, mostly out of boredom. I'd have things like sausage rolls with cheese for breakfast, then snack on full bags of crisps and big chocolate bars, and have pizzas or burgers for dinner. I didn't eat vegetables at all. Now I plan my meals ahead, I eat lean meats, fruit and vegetables, and I stop eating when I'm full. Keeping myself busy has been a big thing because it stopped me from eating out of boredom.'
The remarkable change has had a profound impact on her day-to-day life. Catherine continued: 'I feel like a completely different person now. I can breathe properly, I can move around easily, and I've got so much more energy. Before, I avoided things like fairs because I was scared I wouldn't fit on the rides or I'd be embarrassed. But now I feel like a little kid again. I went to Twin Lakes with my daughter and I was running around playing with her all day. It honestly felt like she had a big sister rather than someone who had to sit down and watch.'
Despite being left with some loose skin, Catherine says she is concentrating on firming up rather than going under the knife. She continued: 'I've got a bit of loose skin under my arms and on my stomach, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. There's no funding for surgery, so I've bought a multi-gym and I'm working on toning up instead. I'm happy where I am now weight-wise, and I am glad I could prove everyone wrong.'
Diet Before
- Breakfast: Four sausage rolls with cheese
- Snacks: Family-sized bags of crisps, large chocolate bars
- Lunch: Sausages, bacon
- Dinner: Pizza, chicken burgers, chips, curly fries
Diet After
- Breakfast: Fruit bowls (kiwi, strawberries, watermelon)
- Snacks: Lettuce, cucumber, onion, garlic with eggs or cottage cheese
- Dinner: Lean meats such as chicken skewers with vegetables and light mayo
