Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo wept tears of joy when she saw herself in her first bikini.
This was the moment she’d been waiting for after a lifetime of struggling with her weight. Kate admits she often cried herself to sleep and has never liked what she saw in the mirror – until now.
“It was an especially proud moment for me and a huge achievement,” beams Kate, 29.
“I’ve never worn a bikini – I’ve bought a few but I’ve never put them on! For most women, it’s an incredibly confronting thing to wear a bikini.
“I burst into tears when I saw the results of Woman’s Day’s shoot. I still can’t believe I was standing on a beach laughing… and also looking good!”
It’s quite the transformation for the talented singer from Bendigo, Victoria, who’s dropped a staggering 66kg and given herself a second chance at life.
Kate has more than halved her weight from 127kg to a svelte 61kg since she made the radical decision to have gastric sleeve surgery in May 2012. The irreversible operation saw 80 per cent of her stomach removed.
“I’m amazingly happy with how much weight I’ve lost,” Kate says.
“Everyone said I looked fantastic but I thought people were just saying it to make me feel good!
Since having the surgery, Kate has tried testing the boundaries – with telling results.
“Imagine that bloated feeling after Christmas lunch and times it by 10,” explains Kate, who says she experienced this feeling after eating two slices of pizza, post-op. “I still can’t eat and drink at the same time.”
While the sleeve certainly limits Kate’s consumption, she still indulges in junk food every now and then. And even at half her original size, gorgeous Kate admits she’s still taking it one step at a time.
“Ultimately, I need to accept I’m never going to look like Jennifer Hawkins wearing a bikini… but I’m on a mission to wear one to the beach in 2015!”
Read the full story and see Kate’s amazing transformation, ONLY in this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale now!
