Woman addicted to carbs loses 55kg to go from size 22 to size 8

A 117kg teen was told she'd be dead within two years because of her addiction to carbs.

Cassandra Hili was just 14-years-old when doctors told her she would not live to attend her end of year school formal because her morbid obesity was causing dangerously high blood pressure that could have given her a fatal heart attack at any moment.

But the now-23-year-old from Sydney – who binged on mountains of chips, toast and pasta daily – has shed 55kg and six dress sizes to flaunt a new svelte size eight figure.

"Being told my weight would kill me was like being stabbed in the gut – it was such a painful thing to hear,” Cassandra said.

"I was so depressed I stopped taking care of myself. I wore the same thing every day because it was comfortable and I never went out and socialised because I hated my body.

"So, when my doctor told me I'd be dead before my formal I just thought 'oh well, I probably wouldn't have gone anyway'.”

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Cassandra was diagnosed with insulin resistance as an eight-year-old, after her parents became concerned about her rapid weight gain.

However, despite being told she could die, Cassandra said she was "too stubborn" to listen to anyone and wanted to have a normal life without visiting the hospital weekly.

She began binging on unhealthy junk food such as chips daily – and by the age of 16 was tipping the scales at 117kg and wearing a dress size 20 to 22.

Her life-saving revelation came just before her 17th birthday when she was watching one of her favourite singers – Christina Aguilera – perform in the movie 'Burlesque'.

"I wanted to be her but I knew that would never happen because I was so obese. That was my lightbulb moment and after that I was determined to lose the weight,” she said.

She cut out junk food and switched sugary and carb-heavy foods for healthy protein, fruit and vegetables and began walking on a treadmill daily.

And over the next two years she lost almost half her bodyweight with her weight now fluctuating at between 62kg and 67kg.

"I worked really hard every day and just never gave up. I never could have achieved what I have today without losing the weight.

"My life has changed dramatically. I'm more confident, strong and determined than ever before.

Cassandra's daily diet before: (3,450 calories)

Breakfast: Toast with butter and vegemite (350 calories).
Snack: A large muffin (500 calories).
Lunch: A sandwich with ice cream or chips (900 calories).
Snack: Packet of crisps or toast with olive oil (300 calories).
Dinner: Whatever her mum made – usually hearty Mediterranean dishes but large portions. (900 calories).
Dessert: Ice Cream with Milo (500 calories).
TOTAL: 3,450 calories.

Cassandra's daily diet now: (1,900 calories)

Breakfast: Oats with nut butter and berries, a protein smoothie with berries, banana and nut butter or eggs on rye toast and avocado and a coffee (300 calories).
Snack: Fruit and handful of nuts or protein bar and fruit (250 calories).
Lunch: Salad with tuna, avocado and one slice of bread or protein with vegetables and brown rice (350 calories).
Snack: Coffee, apple and peanut butter (200 calories).
Dinner: Still whatever her mum makes, but now this is more likely to be baked chicken or poached fish with salad and a small portion of pasta, rice or a slice of bread (600 calories).
Dessert: Green tea and a few squares of dark chocolate (200 calories).

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