A woman shed six stone and forked out £6,000 for breast reduction surgery in a bid to downsize her curves.
Emily Legge said her 32K cup bust caused her excruciating back and shoulder pain.
But the 23-year-old, from Cardiff, was unable to get a reduction on the NHS.
At 19-years-old, she claims her BMI (body mass index) was deemed too high – despite being a size 8.
Emily, who now lives in London, comfort ate as a result of being denied the surgery and saw her weight balloon to 15 stone.
It wasn't until she started making healthy changes to her lifestyle, and finding a way to pay for the surgery, that she was finally happy with her body.
Emily said: “I probably started thinking about getting a breast reduction when I was fifteen-years-old.
"My boobs have been a health issue for me since I was very young.
“My chest was really heavy and big for my 5ft 4 inches frame. They were so disproportionate to my body and I was in constant daily pain due to the weight of my bust.
“I suffered from terrible back and shoulder pain. It was impossible to find a good bra and I would often have to hold my boobs in place because they weighed so much.
“My breasts just kept on growing as I got older and I was very self-conscious about them. I would get comments about how big my boobs were when I was running or playing sports.”
She continued: “When I was told I was overweight at my first GP appointment for the breast reduction, I was shocked.
“At the time, I was a size 8 in clothing although I would have to wear larger sizes on top to fit my big bust.
“I was also very healthy and active. I trained at the gym, I did every competitive sport in school and played hockey.
“I had a healthy diet. On a typical day, I would drink a smoothie for breakfast, eat a chicken salad for lunch and have a home-cooked meal prepared by mum for dinner.
“When the doctors told me my BMI was too high, I just felt hopeless and demoralised. I was like what else could I possibly do?
“I was an impressionable nineteen-year-old at the time and the idea that I was overweight in the doctor’s eyes just destroyed me. I thought everything my GP said was true and I gave up.”
Emily said the experience made her lose her passion for sports – and she started over-eating.
She said: “I would snack on crisps and chocolate and would drink a litre of coke every day.
“I thought what’s the point of caring about what I eat if I’m overweight? Throughout those years, of course my boobs remained a constant issue for me too.”
Graduate Emily's turning point came in January 2021, when she tipped the scales at 15 stone.
She knew she wanted to change her lifestyle for the better and took on healthier habits to lose weight.
Emily's diet changes
DIET BEFORE
- Breakfast – Half boiled eggs and toast, Greek yoghurt, fruit
- Lunch – Meal deal with sandwich, crisps and chocolate
- Dinner – Cheesy pasta and garlic bread OR fajitas with chips
- Snacks – Starbucks coffee, pastry, one litre of coke, crisps
DIET NOW
- Breakfast – Wholemeal toast, wholegrain peanut butter and banana OR Weetabix with lots of fruit and seeds
- Lunch – Omelette with salad
- Dinner – salmon, sweet potato and veg
Emily recalled: “I decided that I wanted to lose weight for me.
“Initially, I just focused on my mindset and making small changes that were healthy.
“I started doing Couch to 5k and running every other day and I cut down my daily one litre of coke habit.
“I tried to make healthy food swaps like fruit and yoghurt or a piece of dark chocolate instead of a huge bag of chocolate or crisps.
“I focused on eating more vegetables and making that a huge part of my plate. I didn’t weigh myself much or count calories.
“But before I knew it, I was going to the gym and drinking water instead of coke. The weight just came off."
By September 2021, Emily shed six stone.
She used savings from part-time jobs, and some financial support from her parents, to pay for £6,000 breast reduction surgery.
On 10th September 2021, she underwent the breast reduction procedure with The Phoenix Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.
And Emily is happier than ever now that her boobs are a more manageable C/D cup.
She added: “I feel so much happier now. I’ve got more energy and confidence – especially after the breast reduction. My back and body doesn’t hurt on a daily basis anymore either.
“I’m so grateful that I found a way to pay for my surgery. But so many women can’t get life-changing breast reductions on the NHS and that feels so wrong to me.”
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