A woman is unrecognisable after losing 8.5 stone (120lbs) and having loose skin removal surgery – going from a size 20 to a size 10.

Ashley Massicott, 23, from Boston, Massachusetts, decided to lose weight after years of not feeling confident in her own body, weighing 17.1 stone (240lbs) at her heaviest.

The young woman used to gorge on fried chicken, French fries, crisps and takeaways every day.

In March 2018, Ashley, who works in sales, decided enough is enough – overhauling her entire lifestyle, dropping the calorific meals for healthier 'fakeaway' options and joining a gym.

She has shared her story on TikTok, where it has since gone viral.

"I hated looking at myself in the mirror and didn't recognise myself," Ashley told Jam Press.

"It was just a reminder I did not like how I looked.

"I was slimmer as a kid and then in middle school I started to gain weight and that continued all throughout high school.

"It was something that bothered me everyday, not only for how I looked but also how clothes would fit me and not being able to enjoy sports.

"I used to love skiing and couldn't do it anymore."

To lose the weight, Ashley worked out three to six times a week, embraced high incline walking on the treadmill and core yoga, and used food apps to track her meals.

She said: "I’m honestly a really picky eater so for me it was about finding healthier versions of foods I like!

"I used to eat a lot of chicken fingers and French fries – now I eat a ton of grilled chicken and rice.

"Lots of take out for sure back in the day, now I rarely eat out.

"Before I would get takeaways [by myself] just for the food; now the only times I eat out is when I am going out with friends or my boyfriend."

"I also used an app that sorted foods into ‘red lights, green lights and yellow lights’ and then gave you a certain number of ‘red light’ foods to eat each week, I found that was the best one for me.

"I would not recommend calorie counting apps as that can put you in a negative mindset about food.

"At the gym, I would do a run and walk on the treadmill, so run for five minutes and then slow it down for a slow uphill walk for another five minutes.

"I now do core power yoga three times a week.

"I do the yoga sculpt class, which is a mix of weights, yoga and cardio in a hot studio. Out of all the exercises I have done, this is by far the best one.

"You are obviously going to have days, weeks, even months where you don’t eat or exercise how you would like and that’s totally OK."

After three years of hard work, Ashley was 8.5 stone lighter – however, she was also left with a large amount of excess skin.

Wanting to embrace her new body, she made the decision to have loose skin removal surgery, booking in the operation with surgeon Dr George Volpe at the Boston Center Ambulatory Surgery for 15 November 2021.

The operation cost her around $10,000.

Ashley also had a breast augmentation at the same time, which cost an additional $15,000.

She said: "I decided for the breast augmentation for the same reason I did my extra skin on my stomach.

"My breast had lots of extra skin too, so it was an insecurity of mine and I figured I would rather get it all done in one surgery!

"I was honestly so excited to have it done.

"I felt like I had done so much work to lose the weight but could not see the results I wanted due to my extra skin.

"I was dreading the actual surgery since I knew it was going to be a long recovery but the excitement trumped the nerves.

"The recovery was harsh – I couldn't stand up straight for a few weeks and the first five days I had to have a drain attached to me.

"I took about a month before I felt mostly myself again, but [it was] worth it for sure.

"Now I feel great and I feel like myself again."

Ashley recently shared clips of the lead-up to the operation on TikTok, which has racked up 122,000 views and thousands of likes.

“Hope you have as easy of a recovery as possible!!” one viewer commented.

Another person added: “Yay!! So happy for you, Ash!! Hope you have the smoothest recovery ever.”

“Gurl you are gonna look like a baddie when you are healed,” someone else wrote. [sic]

“Live your best life girl!!!!” another viewer added.

Someone else said: “I'm soo happy for you! I hope you heal well and fast!" [sic]

The 23-year-old has no regrets about her surgery and is thrilled with her new body.

Ashley added: "I have so much more confidence and energy, it is genuinely the best thing I could have done for myself.

"I am beyond pleased with the results and have never been happier!"

BEFORE DIET
Breakfast: Waffles and pancakes
Lunch: French fries and fried chicken, peanut butter sandwich with snack
Dinner: Takeaways, breakfast for dinner, pizza
Snacks: Crisps, popcorn

AFTER DIET
Breakfast: A big bowl of fruit
Lunch: Peanut-butter sandwiches or peanut butter panini with bananas
Dinner: Rice or pasta with grilled chicken
Snacks: Fruit or cucumber slices