The woman once known as the world’s heaviest, who weighed fifty stone and regularly indulged in milkshakes, has become completely unrecognizable.

Pauline Potter’s day once began with a huge breakfast: six scrambled eggs, half a pound of bacon, four hash browns, six slices of buttered bread, and a milkshake made with ice cream. For most people, that amount could easily feed a whole family, but for Pauline it was simply her normal way to start the morning as she pursued her goal of becoming the world’s heaviest woman.

Earlier that year, Pauline, a mother of one, reached 50 stone and was officially named the World’s Heaviest Living Woman 2012 by the Guinness Book of Records. But what had once been a dream turned into a nightmare. Pauline now admits her obsession with her size has destroyed her life, and she has begun dieting.

“I used to love being big,” she explained, “but it got out of hand. I can barely move now. To stand up, someone has to pull on my head while I rock myself upright.”

Her daily routines are a challenge. She uses a walk-in bathtub and sits on a stool while cleaning herself with a handheld shower. Because of the many folds of skin, she is prone to infections. To prevent them, she washes thoroughly, dries herself, and applies cornstarch in the folds of her stomach and behind her knees. “My son has to help with the spots I can’t reach,” she admitted.

Pauline was part of a community known as Supersize Big Beautiful Women, a group that believed the larger you are, the more beautiful you become. Another woman, Susanne Eman from Arizona, even announced she was consuming 20,000 calories a day to overtake Pauline’s record. But Pauline, known as “Paulee” to her family, no longer wants that life. She blames her childhood for her unhealthy attachment to food. She grew up with seven siblings, nearly all overweight, and parents who were also extremely heavy. “If we were happy, we celebrated with food,” Paulee recalled. “If we were sad or hurt, we had ice cream.”

By age 12, she already weighed over 15 stone. As an adult, when she began cooking for herself, she favored huge meals—spaghetti, pizza, French bread, and large Chinese takeouts. At 24, she weighed 25 stone, and by 29, she was 30 stone. She noticed that her size attracted certain men.

In 2002, she met her future husband, Alex, online while weighing 43 stone. Nervous to share her photo, she was relieved when he told her she looked beautiful. Alex, just 11 stone himself, actually encouraged her to gain more weight, cooking enormous meals and urging her to eat as much as she wanted. They married in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day 2003 when she weighed 46 stone, wearing a 10XL gown and veil.

Because Alex adored her size, Paulee set herself the goal of reaching 50 stone. “He loved how big I was,” she said, “so I wanted to be even bigger for him.” With his encouragement, she pushed toward that target, eating spaghetti, French bread, puddings, and roasts he cooked for her. “It felt intimate and loving,” she admitted. By February, she hit her goal and contacted Guinness, not to boast, but hoping someone might help her. When they confirmed she had been recognized as the world’s heaviest woman, she was shocked.

Soon after, Alex left her, and she became a single mother to her teenage son, Dillon. Life grew even more difficult. At her size, she needed a motorized scooter to get around, and Dillon had to help her with everyday tasks—getting out of bed, standing up, moving to the bathroom, and even shopping. He ordered her clothes online in size 10XL, and she wore a 58H bra.

Her world shrank to the area around her home. Weekly bingo nights were too far to reach, and in public she faced stares, laughter, and cruel comments. She worried especially about Dillon, knowing he felt embarrassed. Physically, she was already suffering—out of breath after just a few steps, her knees under immense strain, constant pain, and the looming threat of serious illnesses. Doctors warned her about the risks: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney failure, circulation issues, gallstones, liver problems, and even cancers.

Determined to change, Paulee began trying to lose more than half her weight. She started swimming at a hydrotherapy pool—though she wore clothes in the water—and cut back on takeaways, attempting healthier meals like salads. Still, breaking old habits of eating pasta, bread, and snacks was extremely difficult. “I’ll do anything to be normal-sized again,” she said. “I want to be healthy for my son, see him grow up, and maybe one day ride bikes with him, something I could never do before.”

Her son’s words haunted her most. As a little boy, Dillon had once said he wished they could ride bikes together, but she was physically unable to. Now, that memory drives her to keep fighting to lose weight.

Medical experts like Dr. Chris Steele emphasize the danger Pauline faces, warning that weighing 50 stone is life-threatening. “Anyone that overweight risks severe health problems,” he said. “The best approach is simple: eat no foods over three percent fat and walk every day, no matter the weather. No tablets or surgery will save you if you don’t change your lifestyle.”

Pauline knows she has a long journey ahead, but she is determined to reclaim her life, not only for herself but for her son’s future.