EastEnders actress says losing weight has not brought her happiness or improved her health.

Over the course of just one year, the appearance of a certain star has undergone quite a transformation. Melissa Suffield, a former actress on the popular show EastEnders, recently opened up about her weight loss journey. However, despite her physical changes, she admits that she doesn't feel any sense of happiness or fulfillment.

Melissa, who is best known for her role as Lucy Beale, now runs a parenting blog where she promotes body positivity and encourages her followers to embrace their true selves. But things took an unexpected turn for Melissa when she was diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) last year. The condition, which causes an abnormal increase in the number of bacteria in the small intestine, led to a variety of symptoms such as nausea, hair loss, and dry skin. Melissa had to attend numerous doctor's appointments before finally receiving a diagnosis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, SIBO can lead to other symptoms such as bloating, loss of appetite, and weight loss - something that has greatly impacted Melissa. In a recent interview with The Sun, she shared, "Obviously, I've lost quite a lot of weight this year, but absolutely none of that has been through choice." She continued, "Like, I'm back in my pre-pregnancy jeans, but there's no joy. It was never a goal for me, and this is the complete opposite of what I've ever wanted for my body."

Melissa, who played Lucy Beale from 2004-2010, also expressed her frustration with the changes in her appearance. She said, "So that's been tricky for sure. And then also, just on top of that, like my skin and my hair has been affected. Now I'm dealing with feelings of not enjoying the way I look, which is frustrating because I've worked so hard to get to where I am."

Despite her struggles, Melissa hopes that her weight loss will serve as a reminder that being slimmer does not necessarily equate to being healthier. She emphasized, "What [losing weight because of SIBO] has helped me do is prove the point that I've always, always made, which is that you cannot define how healthy someone is by how much they weigh or how fat you think they look. It's just not true."

Melissa is now a mother to a young boy named River, whom she gave birth to in 2020. She frequently shares her experiences of motherhood on her Instagram account and has gained a following of over 10,000 fans. If you want to stay up-to-date on all the latest soap spoilers and gossip, you can join Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community by clicking on the link provided. Melissa will continue to use her platform to spread awareness about the importance of body positivity and challenging society's narrow standards of beauty.

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