Pauline Potter was named world’s heaviest woman, See her today ..

In 2012, when Pauline Potter was awarded the Guinness title for the heaviest woman in the world, her weight was comparable to that of a fully grown female polar bear.

After being dubbed the “world’s fattest woman,” the 61-year-old star of TLC’s My 600-lb Life underwent a remarkable transformation, leaving her fans astonished by her new look.

Pauline Potter gained fame in 2011 when she set the Guinness World Record for being the heaviest woman globally, weighing in at over 700 pounds (320 kilograms).

At that time, she and her ex-husband Alex held the title in high esteem.

“Alex encouraged me to indulge in whatever I desired. He would prepare enormous meals of turkey and roast potatoes, piling them high on my plate,” Potter recalled about the man she wed on Valentine’s Day in 2003, less than a year after they met online. “Since he adored my size, I aimed to reach [700 pounds] to ensure I was even larger for him.”

In an interview with the Mirror, Potter shared that Alex had a preference for larger women and took pleasure in feeding her: “He would cook spaghetti and French bread for me. He would bring home desserts and feed them to me. It felt very intimate. It was a truly affectionate gesture.”

However, Dr. Chris Steele, the former resident doctor for ITV’s This Morning, stated that supporting obesity is not an act of love.

“At [700 pounds], Pauline weighed more than her age of 47, and she was flirting with death. Anyone at that weight faces significant health risks.”

‘Fattest woman’

When Potter discovered that Guinness had labeled her as “the world’s fattest woman,” she expressed her shock.

To make matters worse, her seemingly caring husband left the relationship, leaving her to rely on her 17-year-old son Dillon for support.

Potter, who could “only feed” and “wipe” herself, depended on Dillon for nearly everything, including mobility and personal care.

“I have a walk-in bath where I sit on a stool, using a flexible shower head attached to a lead. It requires a lot of effort. With many rolls of flesh, infections can occur in the folds,” she shares with the Mirror. “To avoid this, I wash daily, dry myself completely, and then apply corn starch to the folds around my stomach and behind my knees.”

She continues, “My son assists me with areas that I can’t reach.”

Additionally, Potter relies on her mobility scooter to get around since she has outgrown her vehicle, and Dillon often helps her with shopping.

“Sometimes I receive hurtful comments. I try to rise above them, but it makes me sad for Dillon. I know he feels embarrassed, and I worry about what his friends think.”

Progress and setbacks

Potter’s health challenges, along with her wish to regain her independence, pushed her to seek assistance. Her pivotal moment came when she appeared on TLC’s My 600-lb Life in 2014. On the show, she collaborated with the well-known bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan – affectionately called “Dr. Now” – who supported her through the tough weight loss journey.

When Potter first joined the show, she weighed 643 pounds. Despite facing initial challenges, such as sticking to a strict 1,200-calorie diet, her determination started to show results.

Eventually, she made strides in her weight loss journey, losing 44 pounds, which led to Dr. Now approving her for gastric bypass surgery.

However, the path following her weight loss surgery was anything but easy. Instead of quickly shedding pounds, Pauline faced struggles, made excuses, and even saw some weight gain.

“Her mindset is her biggest hurdle at the moment,” Dr. Now remarked about the headstrong woman, who often resisted getting out of bed and continued to indulge in junk food.

Dramatic weight loss

However, Potter ultimately took charge of her health, and after several years, she shed 500 pounds and underwent skin removal surgery, reaching her lowest weight ever. In January 2022, Potter made an Instagram post, her first in quite a while.

“I’m thrilled to announce that I now weigh 223 pounds, and it feels amazing to no longer depend on anyone else for even the smallest tasks,” she expresses in the post, which features photos of her impressive, slimmed-down figure.

Motivated by her journey of weight loss, supporters keep rallying behind her, celebrating each achievement along the way.

“You are such an incredible inspiration and your transformation is stunning! You look fantastic!” comments one supporter, while another adds, “Great job, you are so beautiful.” A third person chimed in: “You look wonderful! What a fantastic achievement!”

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