One simple lifestyle change was the first step to a 36 year-old woman’s astonishing body transformation — which saw her shed over half her weight in just over a year.
Leah Hope Mancuso decided the time had come for change after a 2022 trip to Disneyland with her nephew left her suffering a migraine, foot and back pain, and ‘profusely sweating’.
At the time, the photographer, from Scottsdale, Arizona, weighed nearly 400lbs (28st and 8lbs).
But soon afterwards, she adopted a simple habit — walking for just 10 minutes a day.
‘That was about all I could do at one time,’ she said.
‘But as I built up my endurance, I was able to go from 10 minutes to 15, then 20, then 30.’
This then gave her the confidence and ability to move on to other forms of exercise to fuel her epic fat burn.
Today, she weighs 185lbs (just over 13 stone) and showcases the amazing before and after results on social media, where the images have attracted millions of views.
The photographer, from Scottsdale, Arizona , didn’t realize the full extent of the weight gain until she went on holiday to Disneyland with her sister and family. Pictured: Before weight loss
Leah currently weighs 185lbs – after successfully shedding more than half her body weight and has since returned to Disneyland. Pictured: After weight loss
‘I added swimming to the mix and eventually strength training, playing pickleball and hiking as well,’ Ms Mancuso said.
‘About a year into my journey, I hired a personal trainer who I’ve worked with regularly since.’
Social media users said Ms Mancuso’s story had inspired them to continue their own weight-loss efforts.
One wrote: ‘When I feel like not walking I just come to her page and I have lost 27kg (60lbs) just walking and been in a calorie deficit.’
Ms Mancuso has recently undergone surgery to remove the excess skin on her stomach that was left behind as a result of her monumental weight-loss.
In a heartfelt post she said she had been left crying tears of joy from the result.
‘I’ve never seen that view before, stomach without so much extra weight or without loose skin,’ she wrote.
Ms Mancuso has recently undergone surgery to remove the excess skin on her stomach left behind during her monumental weight-loss effort.
‘It was overwhelming to see a version of me I’ve never known. A version of my body I’ve spent years imagining but never had the chance to experience until that moment.’
Ms Mancuso said her weight gain began as a result of a busy schedule, which led her to turn to junk food and unhealthy snacks to keep her full while on the go.
As the weight piled on, she started to have trouble moving.
‘I lived a life where I started to move as little as possible because every step felt like a burden,’ she said.
Recalling her old diet, she said: ‘I usually had Starbucks most mornings — a Venti [large] Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel drizzle, a blueberry muffin and a Danish.’
‘I would often pick up another meal for lunch or dinner. Something like an In-N-Out burger, where I’d get two orders of fries, so I could eat one with my burger and save one for a snack.
‘I also ate frozen food pretty often when I ate at home — easy things I could heat up like burritos.’
Leah Hope Mancuso, 35, has revealed how a trip to Disneyland helped her shed more than half her body weight. Pictured: Before (left) and after (right)
In addition to her short walks, she also began keeping a food journal to record what she ate, before eventually transitioning to tracking her calories.
Her typical breakfast now features items like scrambled eggs with cheese, some fruit, or a poached egg on toast.
For lunch she opts for a cottage cheese bowl with maple syrup and fruit or a sandwich.
Meanwhile, dinner is typically chicken and potatoes, a pasta dish with chicken sausage, and vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers.
Ms Mancuso made a triumphant return to Disneyland with her nephew in 2023, at the time 190lbs (13 and a half stone) lighter than her ‘miserable’ first visit.
‘This time, not only was my body lighter, but my mind was lighter because I didn’t have to worry about having such limited energy,’ she said.
‘My heart was lighter because I didn’t have to feel guilty for missing out on experiences with my nephew. Nothing was a burden. Nothing was an inconvenience.’
