Nikki Aguayo, 48, celebrated Mother’s Day this year in a way that would have once been impossible: dining out with her family at a restaurant without fear or discomfort.
In a video that has since gone viral on Instagram, Aguayo walked confidently from the bathroom to her table at the back of a Rainforest Cafe in Arizona—something she hadn’t been able to do for years. At her heaviest, Aguayo weighed 730 pounds. At just 4 feet 11 inches tall, everyday tasks were nearly impossible. Walking short distances left her winded, and narrow doorways caused her anxiety.
May 11 marked a turning point. Not only did she use a public restroom for the first time in years, but she also wore a colorful maxi dress from Target’s women’s department—something she hadn’t been able to do before. “I felt so pretty,” Aguayo said. “When I go to put things on, I feel like a girl again.”
Her daughter, Angel Marie, 27, recorded the moment as a symbol of her mother’s incredible progress. For years, Angel served as her primary caregiver. “She had to do a lot of things a child should never have to do,” Aguayo said, her voice filled with emotion. “So for her to be able to videotape me walking on my own—it was indescribable.”
Aguayo now weighs 412 pounds and continues her journey with a goal of losing about 285 more. She follows a strict low-carb diet that includes nutritional shakes, vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins. She also trains regularly and has chosen not to pursue bariatric surgery or weight-loss medications.
“The fat was crushing my body from the inside out,” she said. “As a single mom, I thought, ‘No, I can’t leave my kids. I can’t die.’”
Aguayo often shares her journey on social media, inspiring others far beyond those also facing obesity. One woman going through chemotherapy even messaged her, saying, “I did my hard thing today because of you.”
Angel Marie, now 21 weeks pregnant, draws strength from her mother’s persistence. “The other day I wanted to stay in bed,” she said. “But I thought about my mom powering through her workout. So I got up and got it done.”
Aguayo is determined not to miss another moment. After missing key events in her children’s early lives—ballet recitals and violin concerts—she now says she’ll never let her size hold her back again. “I never would have been able to go to the Rainforest Cafe with my girls when they were little,” she reflected.
At home, Aguayo’s long-time partner, Michael Little, placed a full-length mirror at the top of the stairs she once couldn’t climb. “He put it there so I can see what I’ve overcome,” she said. “I want my girls to know that no matter how hard life gets, you can always get back up. That makes me feel so good.”
