52-year-old mother of four, Patty Sanchez, spent the past six years trying to gain enough weight to be considered the heaviest woman in the world. Her behavior and goal had been constantly reinforced by her “feeder” boyfriend at the time.
Now that she and her boyfriend have split, and Sanchez has since met someone new, she no longer wants to continue gaining weight.
In the past couple months, Sanchez and her new boyfriend, Bryan Johnson, have introduced more activity to Sanchez’s lifestyle and ensure that she’s not consuming the same 13,000 calories she used to eat every day.
For years, Sanchez would scarf down greasy, sugary foods that her ex bought for her and purposely keep her physical activity to a bare minimum so she could gain as much weight as possible.
Back then, Sanchez tipped the scales at 714 pounds.
She now weighs 448 pounds – but she still relies on a mobility scooter and Johnson’s support to go places. Sanchez recalls, “My ex would do everything for me. It got to the point where I was struggling to even walk to the bathroom and I realized that I was killing myself.
“My life needed to change.”
And her life has, indeed, changed. Each day, Sanchez and Johnson practice yoga and lift weights for 30 minutes, each, and spend time cooking healthier meals at home rather than eat out.
Sanchez’s children have all been extremely supportive of their mother’s new relationship and lifestyle change. “They are pleased to see me happy and living well and we have Bryan to thank for that,” Sanchez said.
“I feel better than I have in years and it's amazing being with a man who really appreciates me.”
The couple hopes to get married in the coming future – but only after Sanchez has lost enough weight to be independently mobile. She insists that she wants to walk down the aisle and stand next to the man she loves when they get married.
You can watch a feature of the couple’s story and life together here:
