"I ditched my daily three course dinners and lost half my body weight – now my wedding dress swallows me"
- 10 months ago
A mum ditched her daily three course dinners to lose half her body weight – and is now swallowed by her wedding dress.
Jennifer Brown, 41, says she has always struggled with her weight and tipped the scales at 24st 6lbs and wore a US size 24 at her biggest.
After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes when she was pregnant she decided she needed to make a change.
But she struggled to ditch her regular McDonalds lunches and three course dinners until a health check up revealed high blood sugar levels.
She kept a food diary and cut out fizzy drinks and large portions and lost 6st 5lbs.
She then started taking weight loss drug Mounjaro - also known as Tirzepatide - to help her shift the extra pounds.
Now a slender 12st 7lbs and a US size 10, Jennifer’s wedding dress dwarfs her.
Jennifer, abstractor, from Des Moines, Iowa, said: “I’ve lost an entire person from my body.
“I’ve tired on tops that barely fit me before – now they are like a dress on me.
“I can’t believe that I’m here.
“I have a couple of core memories on my wedding day when I looked at my reflection and said out loud to myself how beautiful I felt.
"And that’s all that matters. But I am healthier now.
“My health is more important than how I look in a swimsuit.”
Jennifer feared she might not be able to look after her son, Maddox, nine and step-daughter, Cameron, 21, after she was told she had high blood sugars in 2019.
Her husband, Jeff, 46, a shift supervisor at an ethanol refinery, had a heart attack aged 41 which gave Jennifer another boost to make a change.
The mum had often been coming home to a meal of steak, potatoes, salad with ranch dressing, bread and ice cream but switched this to healthy meals such as a pork chop and vegetables.
Jennifer said: “I was a binge eater.
“I would eat out of boredom or emotionally.
“I never felt the feeling of fullness or satisfaction.
“I could go to a restaurant and eat an appetiser, main, desert and still be able to have something later.
“I basically had a three course meal every dinner.”
She lost 6st 5lbs by learning to eat healthy and started walking as much as she could but struggled to shift any more weight.
Jennifer turned to the weight loss drug Mounjaro which has helped her slim down to 12st 7lbs.
She said: “I’ve never been a size 10 – even in middle school.
“I got on a plane and I didn’t have to worry about asking for a seat belt extender.”
Jennifer has also taken up running as part of her daily workouts and can now run 5k.
She said: “I can run miles.
“I can climb mountains.
“I get to play catch with my son and be present in his life.
“I’m showing him it matter to take care of yourself.”
Jennifer doesn't deprive herself of a sweet treat when she is craving it but will get a smaller pot of ice cream instead of her previous order – a hot fudge sundae, with brownie and cherries on top.
She said: “I try to keep really balanced.”
Jennifer said Jeff has been her “biggest supporter” throughout her journey and s
Jennifer Brown, 41, says she has always struggled with her weight and tipped the scales at 24st 6lbs and wore a US size 24 at her biggest.
After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes when she was pregnant she decided she needed to make a change.
But she struggled to ditch her regular McDonalds lunches and three course dinners until a health check up revealed high blood sugar levels.
She kept a food diary and cut out fizzy drinks and large portions and lost 6st 5lbs.
She then started taking weight loss drug Mounjaro - also known as Tirzepatide - to help her shift the extra pounds.
Now a slender 12st 7lbs and a US size 10, Jennifer’s wedding dress dwarfs her.
Jennifer, abstractor, from Des Moines, Iowa, said: “I’ve lost an entire person from my body.
“I’ve tired on tops that barely fit me before – now they are like a dress on me.
“I can’t believe that I’m here.
“I have a couple of core memories on my wedding day when I looked at my reflection and said out loud to myself how beautiful I felt.
"And that’s all that matters. But I am healthier now.
“My health is more important than how I look in a swimsuit.”
Jennifer feared she might not be able to look after her son, Maddox, nine and step-daughter, Cameron, 21, after she was told she had high blood sugars in 2019.
Her husband, Jeff, 46, a shift supervisor at an ethanol refinery, had a heart attack aged 41 which gave Jennifer another boost to make a change.
The mum had often been coming home to a meal of steak, potatoes, salad with ranch dressing, bread and ice cream but switched this to healthy meals such as a pork chop and vegetables.
Jennifer said: “I was a binge eater.
“I would eat out of boredom or emotionally.
“I never felt the feeling of fullness or satisfaction.
“I could go to a restaurant and eat an appetiser, main, desert and still be able to have something later.
“I basically had a three course meal every dinner.”
She lost 6st 5lbs by learning to eat healthy and started walking as much as she could but struggled to shift any more weight.
Jennifer turned to the weight loss drug Mounjaro which has helped her slim down to 12st 7lbs.
She said: “I’ve never been a size 10 – even in middle school.
“I got on a plane and I didn’t have to worry about asking for a seat belt extender.”
Jennifer has also taken up running as part of her daily workouts and can now run 5k.
She said: “I can run miles.
“I can climb mountains.
“I get to play catch with my son and be present in his life.
“I’m showing him it matter to take care of yourself.”
Jennifer doesn't deprive herself of a sweet treat when she is craving it but will get a smaller pot of ice cream instead of her previous order – a hot fudge sundae, with brownie and cherries on top.
She said: “I try to keep really balanced.”
Jennifer said Jeff has been her “biggest supporter” throughout her journey and s