This Mom Lost Over 150 Pounds by Cutting Out 4 Foods

It only took one photo to change 37-year-old Casey Gemmell’s life.

When she first saw the picture, taken at her son’s birthday party and posted by a friend on Facebook, she literally couldn’t believe what she was looking at.

“I thought ‘That’s not me, what a terrible angle,'” Gemmell, who lives in Perth, Australia, told TODAY. “But then another photo was posted—from a worse angle. I kept waiting for a good angle and it never arrived.”

As the unflattering photos kept rolling in, Gemmell realized that it wasn’t the camera that needed to change; it was her. At 353 pounds (160 kg), she struggled to even change her son’s diaper over her belly. The photos made it obvious: She needed to change her lifestyle, before it was too late.

Almost five years later, Gemmell has now lost 155 pounds (70kg). Her transformation photos are absolutely incredible—and inspiring!

Her secret? Aside from daily exercise and her husband’s unfailing support, Gemmell revealed that the key to her weight-loss success was a simple diet change. But forget radical fasting or strict calorie counting. In the end, Gemmell cut only four foods out of her diet: cheese, pasta, bread, and soft drinks.

“I started to change my diet by just cutting out those four specific foods and nothing else,” Gemmell said. “It was a massive challenge because at 33, I had a lot of food tendencies that were hard to break.”

Still, that one small change made all the difference. Pretty soon, she could get out of the car without turning sideways, she didn’t need a seatbelt extender on airplanes, and, best of all, she could run a 5K without stopping.

Now, Gemmell has one more goal to achieve. She needs surgery to remove her excess skin as a result of her dramatic weight loss and has created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the cause.

Gimmell has one simple message for everyone on their own weight-loss journey. “I hope I continue on this journey and hope to motivate others,' she said. 'There are so many people out there like me, and I want them to know there’s hope.'