A woman who shed nearly three quarters of her body weight has revealed the two lifestyle changes that fuelled her epic fat burn.

Tanya Santiago, 31, weighed 42st 12lbs at the end of 2020 after being stuck in a cycle of 'eating anything I could get my hands on'.

'I'd eat enormous portions — for a family of six,' said the retail manager from California in the US.

But at the end of 2021 she decided to make a drastic change after suffering a traumatic miscarriage.  

'I was three months along and my body was rejecting the pregnancy,' she said, adding that she was 'too big' to undergo a procedure to remove the fetus and was forced to take a pill instead.

Ms Santiago then began introducing two types of workout into her daily routine — walking and swimming.

She quickly saw results, which gave her the confidence to visit her local gym for more regular workouts. 

She also made simple changes to her diet — ditching her favourite Chinese and Mexican takeaways for home-cooked low-carb meals.

 However she didn't scrimp on food, with bacon, breaded chicken and pasta still making up a large part of her diet. 

By January 2023, Ms Santiago had lost 17st 12lbs, but she didn't have the clean bill of health that she'd hoped for. 

Doctors told her that despite the weight loss, her previous unhealthy lifestyle had resulted in deadly fatty liver disease — which is caused by obesity. 

At its most severe stage, the condition can cause the organ to shrink and becomes scarred and lumpy; this damage is permanent and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer.

Due to the urgency of the situation, medics advised Ms Santiago that she'd need to undergo a gastric bypass to help her lose the additional weight and reverse the disease.

A gastric bypass encourages weight loss by shrinking the stomach using surgical instruments. 

This means patients are unable to eat large portions of food, and generally have a smaller appetite. 

The four-hour operation was a success and by the end of last year, she'd lost a further 5st 10lbs, reaching a slender 12st 2lbs.

She continued with regular exercise and now enjoys workouts six days a week.  

'My family hadn't really seen me since my weight loss as I moved to California,' she said.

'So when I went home they said "who is this lady at my door?".

'I met my niece at the mall and started walking towards her. We locked eyes but she just walked past.

 'I rolled up behind her and hugged her and she said "who is this lady?".'

She now describes her old lifestyle as 'an old TV show that used to air'.

'Every day it amazes me that I can run,' she said. 'I have so much more energy.'

Having gone through a divorce in 2020, she met a new partner, Gabriel, a mechanic in the navy, in 2022 — halfway through her weight loss journey.

'He looks at old photos and can't believe it used to be me,' she said.

Ms Santiago still keeps her old clothes as a 'reminder' of how far she has come.

She is now on her way to becoming an online coach and bodybuilder.

'I just want to help other people. If I can do it, you guys can too.'