A woman lost 200lbs after struggling to walk and stand in line at Disneyland and is now having a total of about 15lbs of saggy skin removed. 

Leah Hope Mancuso, 36, tipped the scales at 398lbs at her heaviest and was bursting out of a dress size 4XL. 

Her weight rocketed after gaining significant weight at the age of 16.

But it was only after a family trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, that Leah decided enough was enough and vowed to slim down - after

not

being able to keep up with her nephews at Disneyland.

Mancuso then embarked on a strict diet and exercise regime - without medication or bariatric surgery, losing 200lbs in two years and 10lbs the year before that.

Leah now weighs 182lbs and can slip into a slender size large with ease.

Her extreme weight loss has seen her left with about 15lbs of saggy skin - which she's had removed in four operations over six months. 

So far, she's lost 10lbs, and plans on losing the rest soon.

Mancuso returned to Disneyland in November 2023 after being 120lbs lighter.

Leah, a photographer and content creator, from Scottsdale, Arizona, said: "The turning point came during a family trip to Disneyland with her nephew, Lincoln, now six."

"I went to Disneyland knowing it was going to be hard being almost 400 pounds, but I didn't want to miss out on that experience with him," Leah said. "

"It was just a horrible day. I had a migraine, my feet hurt, my back hurt, and I couldn't even stand in line. "

"I ended up sitting by myself for most of the day."

That experience made her realize her health affected more than just herself. 

"That was the first time I realized my weight and level of unhealthiness affected more than just me," she said."

"I wasn't able to be a present aunt for him that day."

Starting in March 2022, Leah began making small, sustainable changes. 

She committed to eating "one nutritious food a day" - beginning with eggs, and incorporated 10 minutes of daily physical activity which was all she could manage at first."

"I would walk for 10 minutes a day or try different things like chair yoga or simple weight training at home with tiny seven-pound weights," she said. "

"If my coffee were brewing, I would just start marching in place or take laps around the kitchen."

At her heaviest in fall 2021, Leah weighed 398 pounds and wore size 4XL pants and 5-6XL shirts. 

Without weight loss medications or bariatric surgery, Leah lost 215 pounds in two years through these consistent lifestyle changes.

Today, she weighs 182 pounds and wears medium shirts and large pants.

Her recent surgeries have addressed both excess skin and a condition called lipedema - a hormonal disorder that causes disproportionate fat growth. 

So far, doctors have removed approximately 10lbs of loose skin and eight to nine liters of "diseased fat" from her legs."

"I've had a tummy tuck and lower body lift, a breast lift to remove the loose skin on my breast, and a full arm lift from my upper arms to my forearms," Leah said. "

She plans one more surgery next year to remove excess skin from her legs.

While her physical transformation has been dramatic, Leah notes that people treat her differently now - something she finds both flattering and sad.

"I feel bad for old me because I am the same person," she said. "

"Yes, I have had an identity shift and my habits have changed, but who I am at my core, my heart, and my soul, is the same person. "

"I think I deserved to be treated the same then as I do now."

Looking ahead, Leah isn't focused on losing more weight but rather on continuing to improve her health. 

She emphasizes that her journey was never about appearance.

"For me, it really has not been about chasing a smaller body. It's about living a bigger life," Leah said. "

"I wanted to focus on living differently rather than looking differently. "

She added: "I really did prioritize gaining health over losing weight, and I think that is what helped me keep going."

What she ate before weight loss:

Breakfast: Blueberry muffin, often another pastry as well
Meals: Fast food like In-N-Out burger,  fries (sometimes extra fries to eat later), frozen foods like taquitos and burritos, fried foods in general
Snacks: Candy throughout the day 
Beverages: Starbucks venti caramel macchiato with extra caramel, other high-calorie coffee drinks (frappuccinos, caramel macchiatos), occasional sweet drinks (Shirley Temples, virgin piña coladas)

What she eats now:
Meals: Eggs, chicken, beef, pork sausage, cottage cheese bowls, potatoes, sourdough bread (from a local bakery), open-face sandwiches with tuna or ham
Snacks: Yogurt bowls, fruit 
Beverages: Water

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