Ariana Omipi said she hid the weight gain as she didn't want to disappoint her followers. Photo / Instagram
Ariana Omipi said she hid the weight gain as she didn't want to disappoint her followers. Photo / Instagram
Ariana Omipi, from Auckland, became a social media sensation when she shared details of her dramatic weight loss transformation that saw her lose a staggering 50kg in seven months.
Now, the 23-year-old blogger has revealed that she recently had gastric sleeve surgery after she secretly put the weight back on.
Omipi, who lost 50kg by following a ketogenic diet - high fat, low carb - said she did not want to disappoint her Instagram followers.
However, she admitted she struggled to keep the weight off and hid her body online as people kept hailing her as an inspiration for their own weight-loss journeys.
"It was so hard because people were still messaging me saying that I was such an inspiration to them. I felt like I was letting them down, and like I had to hide it," she told Stuff.
Omipi believes her weight spiralled out of control after struggling with her food portions.
"I would cook these beautiful healthy meals but then I'd need three, sometimes four servings of it just to feel satisfied and full.
"It was so hard because I felt like I was trying my hardest to do everything right, but it wasn't working and I couldn't figure out why."
Omipi gained 60kg in the past year and managed to keep it a secret despite regularly posting selfies to social media.
She did stop documenting her weight-loss journey and, last month, wrote a post where she talked about her weight gain and her decision to undergo gastric bypass surgery.
"In March 2018, I will be undergoing bariatric (weight loss) surgery via gastric sleeve!' she wrote on the post.
"Over the years, my weight has been something I've worked really hard on."
"My discipline, determination and lifestyle changes have helped me to achieve significant weight loss in the past however my constant hunger is something that has made maintaining a healthy weight incredibly difficult.
"Within the last five years, I have lost, maintained, gained, lost and gained weight.
"For those of you who don't know what this surgery is about, it will reduce the size of my stomach by approximately 90 percent while also reducing the hunger hormone (ghrelin) by a significant amount," she explained.
Omipi also said her choice to undergo the operation was influenced in part by her friend, and fellow Kiwi blogger Simone Anderson, who lost 92kg after she underwent surgery in 2015.
Omipi had surgery last week and has been sharing her recovery on social media.
