A mother who had tried “every diet under the sun” managed to shed an impressive 11 stone using a Mounjaro weight loss jab, motivated by her desire to watch her newborn son grow up. Rebecca Banks, 25, had battled with her weight for years, tipping the scales at a hefty 26st 6lbs and wearing a size 28 at her heaviest.
She had attempted “everything” to lose the weight – including other jabs, Weight Watchers and fasting – but nothing seemed to make a difference. Rebecca, who confesses she “couldn’t be bothered to cook” previously, would order takeaways daily and was so overweight she found it difficult to climb the stairs.
Her weight was having a “massively” impact on her mental health, and after seeing a photo of herself taken by a friend, Rebecca decided enough was enough. Starting in April 2024, she initially lost 4st on her own by improving her diet – swapping takeaways and fast food for lean meats and vegetables and increasing her daily step count to 10,000.
Four months later, Rebecca began weekly Mounjaro jabs, which cost her £199 a month privately and have totalled about £1,500 so far. She injects them into her stomach and has since lost a further 7st in nine months.
Despite occasional minor stomach aches, Rebecca said she experienced no other side effects. She now weighs exactly 15st, walks 10,000 steps a day, wears a slim size 16 and says her mental health has significantly improved.
Stay-at-home mum Rebecca from Clitheroe, who has bravely battled her weight issues, said: “My son, Lorenzo, 13 months, is the main reason why I wanted to lose it. As soon as I had him, I wanted to be around for him and not get any obesity-related issues.”
Revealing her past struggles, she added: “I tried lots of other things before and they all didn’t work. Basic activities like walking were a struggle.”
Reflecting on how her weight affected her mental health, Rebecca shared: “It affected me mentally massively – I was unhappy with my body image. Some people may see it as cheating but I say it’s a tool to help me on the journey – it’s helped me change my relationship with food.”
Expressing the positive change, she explained: “My mental relationship with food has changed because of it. Now my mental health has improved a lot, and I’m sleeping much better.”
Discussing her life before, Rebecca said she felt too drained to cook wholesome meals, an issue she credits the injection for helping her tackle.
Rebecca also disclosed her previous unhealthy eating habits: “I was just eating fast food all the time, and I couldn’t be bothered to cook Ordering takeaways was my worst thing – I’d get KFC, McDonalds, pizza takeaways and spend around £500 a month on them.”
Reminiscing about the physical challenges she faced, she said: “Going up the stairs was difficult, as well as fitting in the car. I didn’t have body dysmorphia as such, but one day, I thought I really needed to do something after someone took a photo of me – I was disgusted with how overweight I’d become. But the jab has massively changed my relationship with food.”
After initially shedding 4st through a combination of cutting calories and daily walks, this mum found further success with the aid of Mounjaro, losing an extra 7st and opting to walk over driving whenever possible.
She explained her dietary overhaul: “I started eating more meat and vegetables rather than takeaways, fast food, and processed foods. I massively reduced my carbs and sugar intake because I’ve got PCOS as well and carbs and sugar can affect you more.”
On supplementing her weight loss journey with Mounjaro, she explained: “After that, I felt I was struggling to shift more. Mounjaro has really benefitted me – it’s shrunk my appetite and reduced something called food noise – which reduces thoughts about food.”
Her changed relationship with food was significant: “I’m not thinking about what I’m going to eat next. I had no side effects, and straight away, I was mentally ready, and I was on it – it does take some time to get used to eating the smaller portions.”
Looking to the future, she shared: “I’m hoping not to take it forever. I don’t want to be. I’m hoping when I get to my goal weight of 13st then I’ll slowly wean myself off and stick to a healthy lifestyle.”
Despite the positive changes, she confessed she’s still coming to terms with her transformation: “I still look in the mirror now and still see myself as huge.
“It’s only when I see photos that I can actually see a difference. I’m able to do simple tasks without getting out of breath and I have more energy to take my son out. I can actually go into shops and try things on too.”
To qualify for the NHS supply of Mounjaro (Tirzepatide), users must have a BMI of 35 or more, which is reduced to 32.5 for those of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean descent, and they also need to suffer from at least one weight-related health condition.
The NHS explained: “Tirzepatide for weight management is suitable for adults living with obesity and another weight-related health problem like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. You’ll only be able to get tirzepatide for weight management on the NHS if you have significant health risks related to your weight.”
Breakfast: Full English fry up
Lunch: Pizza
Dinner: A takeaway of some sort
Drinks – fizzy drinks
Breakfast: Protein porridge and fruit
Lunch: Sweet potato and tuna
Dinner: Salmon or meat and veg
Drinks – water, juice and protein shakes
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