I'm A Celebrity star Lisa Riley has bravely opened up about the unexpected and agonising side effects of her incredible 12 stone weight loss, which ultimately led to four major surgeries.
The Transformative Weight Loss Journey
Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley underwent a remarkable physical transformation, shedding an impressive 12 stone in just 18 months. The 49-year-old star dramatically changed her lifestyle, eliminating takeaways and junk food while embracing consistent workouts and healthy eating.
Her incredible achievement saw her drop from a size 28 to a size 12, but this dramatic weight loss came with a painful complication that overshadowed her happiness.
The Painful Reality of Loose Skin
Rather than celebrating her new figure, Lisa found herself confronting over 1.5 stone of distressing loose skin that left her feeling like a 'saggy mess'. In her 2017 documentary, Lisa Riley's Baggy Body Club, she heartbreakingly revealed she felt 'revolted' by her reflection.
"When I made the decision to lose weight, I never for one second imagined that I would end up looking like that," Lisa explained. "It never occurred to me that the loose skin would be so bad. I thought why on earth have I lost all this weight? I looked worse than I did when I was obese."
The physical discomfort became a significant burden, with Lisa describing how "the skin was flapping about and dragging." This made maintaining her active lifestyle increasingly difficult as the movement caused severe pain, rubbing, and cleaning challenges between the skin folds.
The Surgical Solution and Recovery
After concluding that surgery was her only viable solution, Lisa bravely permitted cameras to document her journey, wanting to show the 'brutality' of the process and help others facing similar struggles. She founded her Baggy Body Club, connecting with others online who understood her situation.
Despite being terrified of going under the knife - even fearing she might not wake up - Lisa proceeded with four separate surgical procedures:
- A fleur de lis tummy tuck resulting in both vertical and horizontal scarring
- Removal of excess skin from her thighs
- A breast lift
- Removal of her 'bingo wings'
The recovery process took several gruelling months, with Lisa emphasising that surgery is far from a simple solution to achieving a slimmer figure. However, she was absolutely thrilled with her transformed appearance, finally being able to wear 'sexy underwear' rather than functional, mumsy bras and big knickers.
Lisa takes full responsibility for her previous lifestyle, acknowledging: "Nobody made me eat 50 Twix bars, or a whole packet of sausages at one sitting. I did that to myself. No one made me not go to the gym." Her journey stands as both a cautionary tale and an inspiration for anyone considering significant weight loss.
