Body confidence blogger bravely shows off saggy skin caused by extreme weight loss
Matt Diaz said he was scared that he would get backlash for posting the clip
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Your support makes all the difference.A blogger who has shed more than half of his body weight bravely revealed the amount of excess skin he carries in a frank and emotional video for the whole world to see.
Matt Diaz, 22, was at least 35 stone (222kg) at his heaviest. After working hard at the gym and being proud of losing a colossal total of 19 stone over six years, he is not happy with his body.
Talking from his bathroom, the self-described writer and comedian from Brooklyn, New York, says that he posted the clip on his blog to expose who he really is – despite being terrified.
He points to his sagging chest and baggy skin around his upper arms while trying to contain his tears.
As an advocate of body positivity, he said it would be wrong to hide what he looks like.
Matt says: “I’m really scared to put this up because I’m scared that people will not think I am attractive anymore. I’m scared that all the nice messages will stop.
“And I feel this all the time, whenever I sleep with someone new or when I’m on a beach or something and I’m supposed to take my shirt off – I can’t.”
However, he was not prepared for the flood of support he received afterwards.
A GoFundMe page set up to raise $20,000 for skin removal surgery has now reached more than $50,000 in just three days.
He expressed his gratitude to well-wishers on Twitter in a series of emotional tweets.
Loose skin caused by extreme weight loss can only be removed by surgery. Changes in elasticity causes it to lose firmness and the ability to snap back into place through toning exercises.
“I want to share this with you guys because I think it’s important that I’m not ashamed of who I am as I worked really hard to get here and I don’t have the body that I want.
“I am not going to be ashamed of who I am. Not anymore,” he added in the video.
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