GAYLA: I have been told that it is a perfect belly.
COMM: They say the way to a man's heart is
through his stomach…
GAYLA: Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey.
COMM: But housewife Gayla Neufeld has managed
to do the opposite - by using her 8ft titanic tummy to find love.
LANCE: She already had a big belly and that
was just the bonus on top of all her other beauty.
COMM: And her portly paunch has lead to
a successful online modelling career.
GAYLA: Softest belly this side of the Mississippi.
GAYLA: When I was younger I wasn’t proud
to be fat, but I didn’t know that you shouldn’t be fat, I mean I was fat, my mum was fat and
my favourite sister was fat.
GAYLA: As I grew up going to school was the
hardest thing. My family didn’t bully me so much, as did the kids at school, I would
walk by and they would do “boom, boom, boom, boom” with every step I took or you
know fatty, fatty, two by four, couldn't get through the bathroom door.
COMM: Despite getting stick for her size,
Gayla managed to turn her curves into a career.
GAYLA: I have been modelling for 3 years as
an SSBBW model. Basically what SSBBW means is BBW is a Big Beautiful Woman and SSBBW
is kind of like a happy meal or a value meal at McDonalds or whatever, you supersize it.
And so that is what I am, I am a Super Size Big Beautiful Woman, they are usually over
400 pounds.
GAYLA: I actually have a great following of
men who really like my belly.
GAYLA: I have had doctors, lawyers, bodybuilders
which really amazed me because there were lots of body builders. I have had just
all over, men from all over the world that’s what made me actually fall in love with who
I truly was. And it was life changing for me.
COMM: Despite having her pick of the fans, it
was truck driver Lance Neufeld who captured her heart. They met on the internet in 1999
and soon went on their first date.
LANCE: The first time I ever saw her was when
I drove into the truck stop and parked and she came to pick me up in Odessa. To take
me out for supper and she knocked me over with all her beauty.
GAYLA: When I pulled up I was like “oh my
god, he is so cute, so cute” and he got in the car and he said “your pictures online
do you no justice" and I was like aww that’s so sweet and I just blushed.
COMM: Although it’s a big plus for Lance,
Gayla admits that her 96-inch waist brings its fair share of problems.
GAYLA: Having a big belly it makes it really
hard to find clothes that fit. It makes it harder to drive - my steering wheel is imbedded
in my belly to some extent. I have to have seat belt extenders for my vehicles. My knees
haven’t met in years, they're complete strangers! *Laughs*
GAYLA: There are trouser tribulations that
come with it so I consider it my handicap. I do have arthritis of the knees, I've taken
many falls over the years
COMM: But there’s one place Gayla’s immense
size isn’t causing problems - the bedroom.
LANCE: No not really. The only thing we miss is
she would used to do it on top and she can't do that anymore, that’s about
the only thing in our sex life that has been different, but most of the other
stuff is just as good as ever.
COMM: Despite the problems, Gayla has finally
been able to embrace her waist.
GAYLA: I allowed the world to dictate to me
what I was supposed to look like and who I was supposed to be. And by taking a body positive
image I have empowered myself to be who I am and to enjoy my life.
GAYLA: If you can't love your body for who
and what you are, then you can't expect anybody else to love your body for who and what you are.