Pauline Potter, the World’s Heaviest Living Woman, Says Guinness Record Inspiring Her to Lose Weight

Sometimes you need to be crowned the world’s heaviest living woman before you can make the decision to lose weight. That’s the case with Pauline Potter, who was just crowned by the Guinness Book or World Records as the heaviest woman alive.

Potter says that the title is a “little degrading,” but that she decided to accept the award in order to get help. Potter says that she is hoping that a nutritionist or doctor will reach out to help her after reading her story in the new edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Potter told People Magazine:

“I don’t like people to think bad of me, but I’m willing to risk that to get the help. I have a lot of love to give, and I want to be able to help others, but I need a little help right now.”

Potter was awarded the “world’s heaviest living woman” title by Guinness in February, when she weighed in at 643 lbs. Potter says that she is probably closer to 700 lbs today.

Potter, who refers to herself as a compulsive eater, says that the Guinness record made her realized that it’s time to do something about her weight.

Potter said:

“I can’t let it go anymore. I have let my weight hold me back on so many things. I let it hurt me.”

Potter says that her weight has kept her from earning her nursing degree, which she still hopes to get. Her weight has also kept her from enjoying simple things in life, like riding a bike with her son and dancing.

“Everything people take for granted… those are the things I dream of. I’m not living. I want more.”

I hope Potter can lose enough weight so that she can enjoy all of those simple pleasures that we take advantage of, but something really bothers me about her story. Potter is waiting for someone to help her. She says that she hopes her story inspires some doctor to reach out to her. She’ll always be the world’s heaviest living woman if she expects someone else to do lose weight for her. Or is that a little insensitive?

But at least Potter wants to lose weight. Donna Simpson, on the other hand, is trying to become the world’s heaviest person.