By the age of 40, Englishwoman Sarah Arnold had reached a critical weight that significantly restricted her life, limiting her public appearances to only essential trips. Despite facing life-threatening obesity and even being subjected to public ridicule, these issues did not initially motivate her to change. Sarah had been heavy since childhood, largely due to being overfed by her grandparents. By her teenage years, she already wore a large size, and the weight gain continued steadily throughout her adult life, including after meeting her partner, Carl, at age 21, with whom she still lives.
Sarah’s eating habits were characterized by endless consumption and a lack of control. Her diet was extreme: she would start her day at McDonald’s, ordering two full breakfast portions, and would consume multiple plates of pasta, several chocolate bars, and endless chips in front of the TV for dinner. This excess quickly led to physical limitations. A passionate film lover, she soon required wider, more expensive cinema seats and began avoiding public by attending only uncrowded early or late screenings. Her increasing size made simple tasks, like walking and squeezing between parked cars, impossible.
The severity of her obesity made her a target for public ridicule; once, a stranger even secretly took her photo. Surprisingly, these negative experiences did not prompt her to lose weight. Instead, Sarah blamed others for her condition, specifically the food producers, rather than taking personal responsibility for her choices. This cycle of denial was finally broken by a simple, yet profound, remark from her long-term partner, Carl.
One day, Carl told her directly: “You have to remember that you are responsible for what goes into your mouth. No one but you can decide what you will eat.” This statement served as a crucial turning point, causing something to immediately “click” in Sarah’s mind. She immediately decided to cut out all her high-sugar and high-fat indulgences, including chocolates, cakes, and chips, marking the start of her successful weight loss journey.
Undergoing a supervised weight loss regimen, Sarah first joined the British program Slimming World, where she successfully lost $45 \text{ kg}$ in just eight months. Inspired by this initial success and wanting to accelerate her progress, she then switched to the popular American program, Weight Watchers, which provided structured dietary guidance. Continuing to lose weight, Sarah discovered a renewed zest for life: she experienced improved health, increased work performance, gained the ability to shop for clothes easily, and began walking extensively, celebrating her newfound freedom and better quality of life.