Couple spends £20,000 on ‘life-saving’ joint Turkey surgeries to lose 24st between them after eating disorder battle

A couple have shared how they both underwent several cosmetic surgeries in Turkey to lose 24 stone between them.

Ellie and her fiancé, Rhys Jefferies, had been overweight since childhood, and both struggled with disordered eating, often bingeing on unhealthy foods.

After losing Rhys’ dad prompted them to take a hard look in the mirror, they decided that life was too short to struggle with simple tasks like tying their own shoelaces, and the couple made it their mission to lose weight.

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Using all of their savings – previously ear-marked for buying a home and paying for their wedding – they flew to Turkey and got gastric sleeves to kick-start their transformations.

From there, the duo has gone on to have a ‘couple’s tummy tuck’ together, spending a total of £20,000 overall to fund their new, healthy bodies.

“We put buying a house on hold because, by this point, we were desperate to lose weight,” 26-year-old Ellie told Need To Know.

“Anything we had saved in the bank needed to be used to save our lives.

“We had been addicted to food for so long, and trying to diet and eat on a calorie deficit just wasn’t possible – we were too far gone.

“We knew we needed serious help, so when Rhys’ friend told him about his own gastric bypass surgery, we looked into it and decided to get gastric sleeves.

“Rhys was set on the idea, and told me I could come too if I wanted.

“I wasn’t truly ready, but I felt that, if he was doing it, I should too – it was the push I needed.”

Rhys, 30, added: “I’d had the realisation that I would die if I didn’t do something about my weight.

“I was absolutely addicted to food.

“I was suffocating myself just leaning over to tie my shoelaces – little things like that became a task because I was so big.”

The couple, who are from the East Midlands, flew to Turkey in January 2022 for the surgeries, and have since shed almost 24 stone between them – with Ellie previously 23st and now weighing 11st, and Rhys dropping from 26st to 14st 5lbs.

They had originally planned to wed sooner, as well as buy a house, but say that putting those things off to prioritise their health was the right decision.

Ellie said, “We had been saving up for a house for years, but we knew this was more important.

“We’d saved up £5,000 by the time we decided to do it, and the gastric sleeve cost us £2,345 each.

“After we got back, we had nothing left in our savings, and, at first, we were mentally still addicted to food.

“We had to adjust to what our stomachs could handle, and the mindset change was massive.”

The two started tracking their calories and nutrients diligently, and Rhys became an avid gym-goer.

Ellie started documenting their journey on TikTok, where she has amassed a following of more than 300,000.

She said: “Some people there say we cheated – but nobody understands the mental side of having the surgery.

“We’ve had to completely change the way we think about food.

“A lot of work has gone into becoming who we are today – the surgery was just the beginning.

“We both used to struggle to shop for clothes, but now Rhys fits into a size small, and I’m an 8-10.

“We track our calories daily and work extremely hard to maintain our weight and stay healthy.

“Our results have been incredible.”

After such large weight losses, the two were left with excess skin, with Ellie initially having 15lbs of loose skin removed from her stomach last summer, along with a breast uplift and reduction.

In April this year, they decided to have their final nip and tuck together, flying back to Turkey for joint tummy tucks, with Ellie also having an armpit lift, back lift, and liposuction – all with the company Booking Surgery.

She said, “Having the surgeries done together meant that we could really support each other.

“We encouraged each other throughout our recovery, and it felt nice to do the final part of our transformation together.

“We’re finished now – there won’t be any more Turkey surgeries!”

Now, they are looking forward to tying the knot in August – with Ellie set to don her first ever bikini on her hen do, in Marbella, beforehand.

She said, “I’m so excited for my wedding now.

“I remember trying on dresses four years ago and feeling beautiful, but now I look back at the pictures and it shocks me.

“I’m so glad we waited and can’t wait to compare the pictures after my wedding day.

“Life is just completely different these days.

“We’ve just bought our first house, we’re getting married in three months, and we’re happy and healthier than ever.

“We’re thriving, and we wouldn’t be the people we are today if we hadn’t had the surgery.

“I’m so grateful we went ahead with it – it’s been completely life-changing.

“Losing weight is the best thing we have ever done.

“We are both over the moon, feeling very active and ready to do life!”

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