Woman sheds 50 kg after COVID-19 scare transforms her life forever

Veronika Belousova, a 41-year-old from Novosibirsk, has lost nearly 50 kilograms over the past two and a half years. Her journey began after a severe bout of COVID-19 in 2021 left her hospitalised in intensive care. The weight loss has transformed her health and daily life in ways she once thought impossible.

Belousova’s struggle with weight became critical when she fell seriously ill with COVID-19. Doctors warned her that excess weight had worsened her covid symptoms, leaving her fighting for her life. After recovering, she decided to make a change but found the initial 12-kilogram loss incredibly difficult.

She turned to Die Waage, an organisation specialising in weight management and eating disorders. They provided her with nutritional guidance and psychological support throughout her transformation. Instead of quick fixes, she adopted a long-term approach—cutting out alcohol, reducing sweets and baked goods, and filling her diet with vegetables and lean meats. The results went beyond the scale. Chronic back pain vanished, her blood pressure stabilised, and her energy levels soared. Simple tasks, like shopping for clothes, became easier as she moved from sizes 8–11 XL to standard ranges. To stay motivated, she visualised her weight loss in everyday objects—imagining she had shed the equivalent of a heavy bucket of water or a microwave. Belousova has spoken openly about the shame she once felt due to her size, particularly during medical procedures where her weight caused complications. Now, she emphasises that healthy eating is not a temporary diet but a lifelong habit.

Belousova’s weight loss journey has brought lasting changes to her physical and mental well-being. She no longer faces the same health risks that once threatened her life during covid. Her story highlights how gradual, supported lifestyle changes can lead to dramatic improvements over time.