A woman who spent £20,000 on surgery to try and get the “perfect body” has lost 10 stone thanks to weight loss jabs.
Lea Nicholson weighed 30 stone 8 pounds and wore a size 32.
The 44-year-old took drastic action in 2014 by paying £11,500 for a gastric sleeve in the UK.
She lost 12st 11bs and went on to fork out £9,000 to have a tummy tuck and excess skin removed from her arms and breasts in Poland.
However, the weight started to creep back on as Lea snacked on crisps and savoury treats, and when she reached a size 24, she turned to Mounjaro.
Since October last year, Lea has spent a further £1,400 on the weight loss injection, but she says it’s been worth it as she’s shed 9st 7lbs.
“When I realised I was putting the weight back on, I felt horrible,” Lea, from Bridlington, East Yorks, told Need To Know.
“The recovery from surgery was a walk in the park because it was keyhole, le but I’d spent all that money.
“I couldn’t believe that I was returning to old habits.
“I’m an emotional eater, so food made me feel better at the time, and I just started to avoid the scales and kid myself.
“My husband suggested Mounjaro, I did some investigating and thought,’ Why not?’
“I knew I needed to do something, and I had nothing to lose.
“I was tired of being fat and having back backache, and I couldn’t face seeing a size 24 on my clothes.
“My weight stopped me from living properly.
“I wouldn’t visit theme parks because I knew I wouldn’t fit, and the anxiety before a holiday, because I knew I’d have to ask for a seatbelt extender on the plane, was horrible.”
Lea now injects herself every 10 to 14 days and hasn’t suffered any side effects.
The part-time beauty therapist and bingo caller now weighs 13th 5lbs and wears a size 12.
While her grandad paid for her gastric sleeve, she used her inheritance for her tummy tuck and savings paid for her arm and breast lift.
She uses the money she used to spend on takeaways to fund Mounjaro.
Lea says she started to put on weight when she was 10 and had a hip operation that stopped her from exercising.
Then she started comfort eating when her aunt passed away.
Lea said, “I ate to contain my sadness, plus I ate when I was happy.
“It was like a warm hug for me.
“Food became my best friend.
“Crisps and anything savoury were my downfall, and I’d easily eat 10 packets of crisps in one sitting.
“Buying 10p packets meant I could get more.
“Mum always cooked healthy meals.
“She even contacted the school to stop giving me unhealthy seconds and said only vegetables were allowed, but still, my weight spiralled.
“I remember being 15 years old, wearing a size 16 and weighing 15 stone.
“As an adult, I would easily spend £50 a week on takeaways.
“My back and knees hurt daily, and my confidence was shot.
“I tried to be loud and bubbly, but inside I’d be conscious of people looking at me and making jokes.
“I’d join in sometimes so the blows didn’t feel as bad, but it still bothered me.
“People would say ‘Jesus, look at the size of her’, ‘imagine how pretty you’d be if you lost weight’ or ‘hide your food, she’s coming over’.
“It’s silly, but it stings.”
Lea will continue to have surgeries to refine her new body, including a thigh lift and tummy tighten next year.
She added, “After all the hard work of losing the weight, I resemble a melted candle because of the skin.
“My thighs are horrible, and I have big, hanging excess skin, and my boobs look like empty cow udders.
“I think they looked better with fat.
“It would really help with my confidence.
“I want to wear something without sleeves and feel normal, not worry about skin hanging out,
“But my relationship with food has improved.
“I still eat the occasional takeaway or sausage roll, I don’t restrict myself.
“It’s not a forever diet, it’s about moderation for me and making better choices.
“Now, when people see me, it’s funny because some folk are scared to mention it due to offending me.
“I get a lot of ‘Oh my God, how much have you lost?’ and ‘you don’t look like the same person anymore’.
“I’m still me, just a third of the size.”
“And I’ve lost weight for me, so two fingers up to anyone who’s been cruel in the past.”
DIET BEFORE
Breakfast: Skip or two energy drinks
Lunch: Greggs pasty, cheese toastie, fizzy drink, crisps and cheese crackers
Dinner: Takeaway, fried food and a burger or a homemade cheese pasta
Snacks: 10 bags of crisps
DIET AFTER
Breakfast: Fruit, sugar-free energy drink
Lunch: Turkey bacon, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, wholemeal toast or an omelette
Dinner: Salmon or chicken, courgette spaghetti or rice
Snacks: Fruit, sliced cold meat or seaweed crisps
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