'I tried every diet under the sun before losing 11st with Mounjaro'

A mum who tried "every diet under the sun" lost 11 stone using a Mounjaro weight loss jab - after deciding she "wanted to be around" to watch her newborn son grow up. Rebecca Banks, 25, had struggled with her weight for years, tipped the scales at 26st 6lbs, and wore a size 28 at her biggest. She had tried "everything" to shift the weight - including other jabs, Weight Watchers and fasting - but nothing seemed to work.

Rebecca - who admits she "couldn't be bothered to cook" before - would order takeaways daily and was so overweight she struggled to get up the stairs. With her weight "massively" affecting her mental health, Rebecca decided enough was enough after seeing herself in a photo that her friend took. Starting in April 2024, she initially lost 4st herself through improving her diet - ditching takeaways and fast food and eating lean meats and vegetables instead and upping her daily step count to 10,000.



Four months later, Rebecca started on weekly Mounjaro jabs - which she pays £199 a month for privately, has spent about £1,500 in total and injects them in her stomach - and has gone on to lose a further 7st in nine months. Despite minor stomach ache on occasions, Rebecca said she had suffered no other side effects. She now weighs 15st exactly, walks 10,000 steps a day, wears a slender size 16 and says her mental health has improved.

Mum-of-one Rebecca, a stay-at-home mum from Clitheroe, Lancashire, 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. "I tried lots of other things before and they all didn't work.

Basic activities like walking were a struggle. "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.

"My mental relationship with food has changed because of it. Now my mental health has improved a lot, and I'm sleeping much better." Before losing the weight, Rebecca felt as though she didn't have energy to cook proper meals - something she says the jab has helped to reverse.

Rebecca said: "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. "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." She started off by combining a calorie deficit and daily walks and managed to lose an initial 4st. With the help of Mounjaro, she lost another 7st and has replaced many of her drives with walks.

She said: "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. "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. "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.

"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 her physical and mental change, Rebecca is still adjusting to her new look. She said: "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 be eligible to get Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) on the NHS , users must have BMI of 35 or more - 32.

5 or more if you’re of South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean origin - and have at least one weight-related health problem. The NHS said: "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.

" Rebecca's diet before weight loss Breakfast: Full English fry up Lunch: Pizza Dinner: A takeaway of some sort Drinks - fizzy drinks Rebecca's diet now Breakfast: Protein porridge and fruit Lunch: Sweet potato and tuna Dinner: Salmon or meat and veg Drinks - water, juice and protein shakes.