You Got This: Mum’s incredible new body after 50kg weight loss

After losing 50kg and spending $33k on surgery, NSW mum Celeste Rodwell is no longer “ashamed” to show off her bikini body.

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When Celeste Rodwell went to her plastic surgery consultation last year she never felt more naked.

“It took a lot of courage for me to attend the examination because I felt really exposed about what I’d been hiding under my clothes,” she told news.com.au.

After losing an incredible 50 kilos, the mother-of-two from Newcastle, NSW, had been left with excess skin that made her “ashamed” to look in the mirror.

But fast-forward to today and Ms Rodwell says she feels like a “new person” after spending $33,000 on plastic surgery to help her achieve her new body.

After struggling for years to lose weight, Ms Rodwell made the decision to undergo “absolutely life-changing” gastric sleeve surgery 16 months ago.

Celeste Rodwell had struggled with her weight for years. Picture: Supplied

16 months ago Ms Rodwell (left) made the decision to get gastric sleeve surgery. Picture: Supplied

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“I was a really young mum, my daughter was quite a large baby – she was a 12 pound (5.4kg) baby – so being so young that had a huge impact on my body,” she said.

Over the years her weight gain coupled with a difficult past relationship had impacted her mental health, leaving her confidence nearly non-existent.

“I decided I wanted to be able to look in the mirror and love my reflection,” Ms Rodwell said.

After the surgery and following a careful diet and exercise regimen, the Lorna Jane store manager was able to go from a size 18 and weighing 115 kilos to a size eight and 65 kilos.

But despite losing an astounding amount of weight, Ms Rodwell was heartbroken by how her body looked.

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But despite her incredible weight loss she was left with excess skin. Picture: Supplied

“After losing almost half my body weight the impact that it left on my body was absolutely devastating,” she said.

“I felt so deflated – incredibly proud to have lost the weight, but still not where I wanted to be.

“I didn’t feel comfortable in clothing and shopping was really difficult. It was really impacting my mental health, because what I was feeling on the inside wasn’t mirrored on the outside despite doing all this hard work.”

With the encouragement of her 18-year-old daughter who helped her realise she had the power to change how she looked, Ms Rodwell decided to take control.

Late last year Ms Rodwell decided to get plastic surgery. Picture: Supplied

She decided to start looking into her plastic surgery options, settling on Hunter Plastic Surgery’s Dr Nicholas Moncrieff during an emotional consultation in which the vulnerable mum stripped out of her clothes to show her excess skin.

“At that stage my surgeon could probably see my distress, because I do remember him saying to me, ‘It’s going to be OK, I’ll fix you’,” Ms Rodwell recalled.

“I just literally cried my eyes out, because that’s all I wanted to hear.”

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She spent $33,000 on multiple surgeries. Picture: Supplied

And says the results are priceless. Picture: Supplied

Three months ago Ms Rodwell went under the knife for a nine hour procedure that included an extended tummy tuck, muscle repair and full body liposuction.

She also got her bust reduced from a G cup to a DD as well as a breast lift.

The procedures cost Ms Rodwell $33,000 but to her “the dollar factor is absolutely nothing” compare to how she feels today.

“I’m a completely different person,” she said.

“When I look back at those pictures a few short weeks ago I don’t feel like I know that person. That person was so insecure, introverted – no photos, no nothing.

“Now life is completely different. The quality of day-to-day living, being able to hold my head high and be proud of who I am and who I see in the mirror is priceless.”

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