Ashley Burrow weighed 22stone 6lbs at one stage
A mum shed 150 pounds after feeling ‘mortified’ when her gynaecologist repeatedly mentioned her weight during a single consultation. Ashley Burrow, 40, tipped the scales at her heaviest of 320 pounds in 2023, squeezing into double extra-large tops and battling a lifelong cycle of extreme dieting followed by piling the weight back on.
However, when her GP kept going on about her weight during a routine check-up, it provided the mother-of-three with the reality check she desperately needed. Ashley went under the knife for weight loss surgery and overhauled her eating habits – ditching processed rubbish in favour of high-protein meals packed with vegetables.
Now a trim 170 pounds and squeezing into a size eight, she even motivated her husband, Nathan, 43, to drop 100 pounds too. Ashley, a hairdresser, from Louisiana in the US, said: “He mentioned something about it, but he wouldn’t stop bringing it up.
“He said something probably 10 to 15 times and then made it a point to bring me printed diet plans and offered to refer me to people. I was very embarrassed.”
That mortification spurred Ashley to go under the knife for weight loss surgery in 2023, though the operation didn’t deliver the dramatic transformation she anticipated. Unlike many patients who see the pounds melt away rapidly, her journey was gradual and hit a wall within a year – plummeting from a size 24 to a size eight. “I was thinking that it would be like the fix-all, but it didn’t work for me like it did for everybody else,” she said.
“It was really slow. I didn’t lose it fast and I plateaued and stopped right away. I had to get stricter on diet and exercise and did the rest from there.”
Prior to her incredible transformation, Ashley’s weight impacted every element of her daily life, especially her duties as mum to three boys: Mason, 18, Hudson, 13, and Wyatt, 11. Her eldest child has special requirements, needing regular medical appointments, whilst her youngest participates in sport – pursuits that became sources of worry rather than pleasure.
“I was embarrassed to go out to places,” Burrow said. “I had lost weight so many times and then I’d gain it back, so I didn’t want people to see that I had gained it back. I just kind of shut down and was kind of a recluse,” she added. The excess weight also put pressure on her marriage to Nathan, a helicopter engineer, also from Louisiana.
Low spirits stemming from her appearance affected their relationship as she directed her frustrations towards him. She said: “My marriage is better too, because I’m not depressed and taking that out on him because I’m upset with myself.
Now tipping the scales at 170 pounds, Burrow has completely revolutionised her dietary habits. She now follows a straightforward, protein-rich regime with lighter meals, concentrating on lean meat, eggs, greens, and water, supplemented by coffee prior to exercise sessions. The makeover has created a domino effect across her whole household.
Her husband was inspired to embark on his own weight loss journey when Ashley had shed about 100 pounds, and he has since lost 100 pounds himself, slimming down from around 320 pounds to 220. Beyond the physical changes, Burrow describes a complete personality transformation.
The woman who once shied away from social situations now embraces them with gusto. “Since I’ve lost weight, I’m like the life of the party and I’m friends with everybody and all over the place,” she said.
The weight loss has also allowed her to explore aspects of herself that were previously suppressed by her insecurities about her appearance.
“I felt like before I didn’t know who I was,” she said. “I was limited on things I could wear. So now I’m trying to figure out my style and everything. I was never able to really do that before.”
She added: “I feel like I can be my true self – just a lot more confident.”
Ashley’s diet before weight loss:.
Breakfast: Skipped.
Lunch: Fast food.
Dinner: Quick, convenient foods like frozen pizzas.
Snacks: Sweets.
Beverages: Fizzy drinks.
Diet now:.
Breakfast: Coffee and water, then goes to the gym.
Post-workout: Two boiled eggs.
Lunch: Chicken breast.
Dinner: Another chicken breast or chicken with vegetables or salad.
Beverages: Water.