Woman sheds half her body weight after struggling to fit in plane seat

A woman who weighed 22st has lost half her body weight after she was unable to fit in an aeroplane seat.

Claire Coles, 36, was horrified when she was on a flight to Egypt for a holiday with her husband Neil but couldn't get the seat belt around her size 28 body.

Eventually the cabin crew were able to secure Claire into her seat with an extended harness but the humiliation made the charity officer from Devon determined to change her diet.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Claire said: "I couldn't fit into the seat, and after the embarrassment of asking for a seat belt extender, it was still a very tight fit.

"I was so ashamed as I was overflowing onto the person sat next to me.

"It was horrendous, I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me, I spent the five hours of the flight in tears.

"It was at that point I thought enough is enough, I need to drastically change my life.

"I was emotionally eating because I was so unhappy, ironically using food to make me happy."

According to Yahoo!, Claire weighed 22st and 10lb at her heaviest and just a year and a half later she is a trim 11st.

She said she swapped takeaways and calorific snacks for salads, fruit and veg.

"Not only was I able to get the seatbelt around me, there was loads of room to spare," she said.

"I remember like it was yesterday just how embarrassed and sad I felt on the last flight. It makes me proud of what I have achieved and excited about all the new experiences I will have now I slim and healthy."

Related articles

Four passengers ordered to get off overweight easyJet flight

British fliers' fury over extra-wide plane seats for overweight passengers

Man removed from flight for 'being too fat'