CRUELLY branded “thunder thighs” by boys at school, Sarah Whitlow has always been self-conscious about the size of her legs.
Her swollen pins consumed her ankles and left her struggling to get out of bed, before a friend delivered a real “slap in the face”.
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“I remember she asked me, ‘Why do you have so much fat around your knees’,” the now 39-year-old tells Sun Health.
“After that, I vowed never to wear shorts again.”
As Sarah got older, her legs just continued to grow and grow.
It was when she hit her heaviest weight, feeling like her legs “belonged on a different person’s body”, that she realised something had to change.
Weighing 22st 12lb, Sarah didn’t realise that a rare but debilitating condition was to blame.
It was only after a friend sent her an article about lipoedema that she “instantly” realised what the problem had been all along.
After being told it would cost £40,000 ($53,000) to “cure” her lifelong nightmare, Sarah vowed to take a natural approach – making a key change to her diet.
“My ankles were non-existent, people often thought I didn’t have them,” she says.
“I felt little knots under my skin constantly, which were excruciatingly painful.
“My legs felt too heavy to move and I struggled to get out of bed most days.
“People used to always stare at my legs and the boys in school would call me ‘thunder thighs’.
“My arms were also an issue from an early age. They were so heavy that I was always too embarrassed to wear sleeveless tops.
“My mum even had to make a custom prom dress so I could cover up my arms.
“It hurt so much and I couldn’t understand what was wrong with me.”
‘My calves were still huge’
After marrying and having four kids, Sarah began comfort eating, indulging in takeaways every day.
But after looking in the mirror on New Year’s Eve 2017 and not recognising the woman staring back at her, she joined a gym.
Within a year, she had lost more than 7st.
Yet, despite her newly toned physique, Sarah’s legs were larger than ever.
I felt heartbroken that the only option I had of a cure would cost me everything. It wasn’t an option for me
Sarah Whitlow
It was then that her friend showed her an article about lipoedema, a condition which causes an uneven distribution of fat around the body, storing more in the legs, arms and bottom.
Sarah, from Kentucky, United States, says: “Instantly, I knew that was the problem.
What is lipoedema?
LIPOEDEMA is an abnormal build-up of fat in the legs and sometimes arms which is most common in women.
It can be painful, cause tenderness and a feeling of heaviness, and impact daily life.
Common signs include:
- Heavy legs, a narrow waist and much smaller upper body
- A large bottom, thighs and lower legs but unaffected feet
- Fat build-up in the arms
- Soft and cool skin that may be dimpled with an “orange peel” texture
- Tenderness or heaviness in the affected limbs
- Bruising easily
- Knock knees
- Flat feet
- Joint problems
The exact cause is not clear, but it may be triggered by changes in your hormones during puberty, pregnancy, the menopause and taking the contraceptive pill.
There is currently no cure, but the main treatments are:
- Eating well and doing more exercise to maintain a healthy weight
- Wearing compression stockings or bandages to reduce pain and discomfort
- Looking after your skin by moisturising
- Counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy to treat depression
- Liposuction to remove fat
Source: NHS
“I cut out carbs and after a month, my legs felt smoother – but my calves were still huge.”
In 2020, she was officially diagnosed with the condition and told the only cure was liposuction, followed by a thigh lift, costing £40,000 ($53,000).
Sarah, who had just gone through a divorce, didn’t have the cash to spare – nor were weight loss jabs like Ozempic as widely available – so she decided to take matters into her own hands, going on a low-carb diet instead.
The mum says: “I felt heartbroken that the only option I had for a cure would cost me everything. It wasn’t an option for me.
“I cut out all white carbs, went on a stairmaster and started lifting weights.
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“After four years, my legs were smaller and smoother than ever before.
“I got rid of all the fat pads and knots under my skin.
“Now, I get compliments from strangers who can’t stop staring at my legs because of how toned they are.”
Sarah, who has to closely monitor what she eats, says that the lipoedema is still an underlying issue.
She knows surgery is the only way to “tackle” her condition completely, but she is determined to win the fight the best she can naturally.
She added: “It’s taken a lot of strength to get to where I am today.
“I know I still have a long way to go. But I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.
“Something which held me back in life is no longer a problem – and I won’t let it become one again.
“Don’t give up, there is a way to fight this without going under the knife and draining your savings.”
SARAH’S DIET BREAKDOWN
BEFORE:
- BREAKFAST: Two cheese bagels with three cups of cream cheese
- LUNCH: Large pizza and a big bowl of pasta
- DINNER: Pizza, breadsticks and pasta
- SNACK: Candy, cakes and bakery items
AFTER:
- BREAKFAST: Eggs, bacon and chicken sausages
- LUNCH: Prawns, chicken and eggs
- DINNER: Steak, eggs and cottage cheese
- SNACK: Fruit, eggs or vegetables
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