In 2012 when Pauline Potter claimed the world title for Guinness’ heaviest woman, she weighed as much as a fully grown female polar bear.
After she was named the “world’s fattest woman,” the 61-year-old star of TLC’s My 600-lb Life made a shocking transformation, leaving fans gobsmacked over her new appearance.
Pauline Potter became a household name in 2011 when she earned the Guinness World Record for being the world’s heaviest woman, tipping the scales at over 700 pounds (320 kilograms).
At the time, the title was one that she and her ex-husband Alex held in high regard.
“Alex encouraged me to eat whatever I wanted. He would make huge meals of turkey and roast potatoes and pile it on my plate,” Potter said of the man she married on Valentine’s Day in 2003, less than one year after meeting him online. “Because he loved my size, I set a goal to reach [700 pounds], to make sure I was even bigger for him.”
Speaking with the Mirror, Potter explains that Alex was fond of bigger women and enjoyed stuffing her: “He made spaghetti and French bread for me. He would bring home pudding and feed it to me. It was very intimate. It was a very loving thing.”
But according to Dr. Chris Steele, the former resident doctor for ITV’s This Morning, there is nothing loving about rallying behind obesity.
“At [700 pounds], Pauline weighed more than her age at 47 and she is dicing with death. Anyone who is that overweight faces huge potential health problems.”
‘Fattest woman’
When Potter learned that Guinness named her “the world’s fattest woman,” she said she “was shocked.”
Adding to that, her seemingly loving husband bailed from the relationship, leaving her in the care of her 17-year-old son Dillon.
Potter, who could “only feed” and “wipe” herself, depended on Dillon for almost everything, including mobility and cleaning.
“I have a walk-in bath and I sit on a stool with a flexible shower head on a lead. There’s a lot of work involved. With lots of rolls of flesh you can get infection in the folds,” she tells the Mirror. “To prevent this, I wash every day, dry myself thoroughly and then rub corn starch into the folds around my stomach and behind my knees.”
She adds, “My son has to help me when there are areas I can’t reach.”
Also, Potter needed her mobility scooter to get around since she outgrew her vehicle and Dillon frequently had to help her shop.
“Occasionally I do get nasty comments. I try to rise above it, but I feel upset for Dillon. I know he feels embarrassed, and I worry what his friends think.”
Progress and setbacks
Potter’s health struggles, coupled with the desire to reclaim her independence, motivated her to seek help. Her turning point came when she appeared on TLC’s My 600-lb Life in 2014. On the reality show, she worked with renowned bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan – affectionately known as “Dr. Now” – who guided her through the grueling process of weight loss.
When Potter first appeared on the show, she weighed 643 pounds. Despite initial setbacks, including difficulty adhering to a strict 1,200-calorie diet, Potter’s perseverance began to pay off.
The woman eventually made progress on her weight loss journey, shedding 44 pounds, which earned Dr. Now’s approval for gastric bypass surgery.
However, the road after her weight loss procedure was far from smooth. Instead of rapidly losing weight, Pauline struggled, made excuses and even experienced weight gain.
“Her attitude is her biggest problem right now,” Dr. Now said of the stubborn woman, who often refused to get out of bed, and continued to eat junk food.
Extreme weight loss
But Potter finally regained control over her health, and years later, she lost 500 pounds and had skin removal surgery, landing her at her lowest weight. In January 2022, Potter shared an Instagram post, her first in “a long time.”
“I’m proud to say that now I’m down to 223 pounds, it feels so great to be able to not be reliant on someone else to do even the littlest things for me,” she writes in the post that includes images of her stunning slimmed down physique.
Inspired by her weight loss story, fans continue to offer support, cheering her on through every milestone.
“What an amazing transformation and inspiration you are, you look amazing!!” shares one fan, while another writes, “Well done, you look so beautiful.” A third added: “You look great! What an accomplishment!”
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