SLIPPING on the size-10 wedding dress in the bridal boutique, I looked at myself in the mirror and did a double-take. I could scarcely believe this attractive, slim, beaming bride-to-be was me.
I was sure my fiancé Rhys would be having a similar experience trying on his suit, too, because over the last three years we’d lost an incredible 25st between us.
Spending £17,000 on joint weight-loss surgery to help us overcome a food addiction , I’d gone from 23st to 11st at 5ft 10in, while 6ft 2in Rhys had dropped from 26st to 13st.
We were about to tie the knot in the best shape of our lives.
Rhys and I met in 2015 on a dating app, when I was 17. We’d both been overweight since childhood, having struggled with disordered eating.
Food addiction
We bonded over our love of food, going to restaurants and regularly treating ourselves to takeaways – we saw food as a source of comfort.
In 2019, I found out I was pregnant with twins and, soon after, Rhys proposed – we were so happy.
But after our girls were born the following April, I was stuck at home all day caring for them. I turned to junk food to cheer myself up, putting on 4st in two years.
Rhys, who worked as a lorry driver, would eat McDonald’s or Greggs for lunch, then for dinner we’d demolish a takeaway, several chocolate bars and litres of cola.
We were spending around £500 a week on food and, although we both felt disgusting and fed-up, we just couldn’t stop. Neither of us had any energy and I constantly felt guilty that I didn’t do more with the girls.
I was always tired and struggled to get on the floor to play. Our dislike of our bodies also meant we never had sex , and our relationship suffered.
In July 2022, Rhys’ dad passed away after a long illness, aged just 59. It hit Rhys hard and he gained 3st in three months, eating through his grief.
It was this loss that also made us think about our own mortality. Deep down, we knew we were slowly killing ourselves – we had to change, especially as we were parents to young children who needed us.
One night, Rhys told me that his friend had gone to Turkey to have a gastric sleeve , where part of the stomach is removed, and had lost a vast amount of weight as a result.
After researching clinics in Turkey, and seeing others who’d successfully had cosmetic surgery there, we decided to use our £5,000 savings – which was meant to go towards a deposit for a house and our wedding – on the same surgery, costing £2,345 each.
I was so nervous and kept thinking what would happen to the girls if anything went wrong, but we knew we needed to take action.
We’d been instructed to stick to a liquid-only diet for two weeks, but our junk-food cravings were so bad that we resorted to drinking pots of KFC chicken gravy
Ellie
In preparation for the op in January 2023, for 10 days we had to go on a soup and salad diet of 900 calories a day . We both struggled, eventually caving in and having three takeaways.
We were also meant to fast for 24 hours pre-op, but we had a full English and cola in the airport before our flight. There was simply no self-control, which confirmed to us that we were doing the right thing.
While the girls were being looked after back in the UK by Rhys’ mum, he and I went under the knife for the three-hour op. We flew home four days later, feeling weak and shattered.
We’d been instructed to stick to a liquid-only diet for two weeks, but our junk-food cravings were so bad that we resorted to drinking pots of KFC chicken gravy to get that fast-food hit.
Over the next six months, we slowly re-introduced solid food to our diet. Rhys learned to enjoy cooking healthy meals, such as poached eggs on toast for breakfast, and chicken, rice and vegetables for lunch and dinner, and we tracked our calories diligently.
Rhys became an avid gym-goer, while I started documenting our journey on TikTok, where we now have more than 300k followers.
In one year, I lost 9st and Rhys lost 10st. I had mixed emotions, because while I was much lighter, I was left with a big, loose belly. I also began to feel guilty every time I ate, which turned into making myself sick or not eating at all.
Mixed emotions
Rhys was such a support, though, and I had therapy to build a better relationship with food and my body.
By April 2024, we’d lost a joint total of 25st. I went from a size 28 to 10, and Rhys went from size 5XL to small.
Still conscious of my loose skin, I returned to Turkey last summer and had 1st 1lb removed from my stomach, along with a breast uplift and reduction, costing £5,000, paid for with savings.
And in April this year, Rhys and I went back for joint tummy tucks, and I also had an armpit lift, back lift and liposuction, totalling £7,000.
We now have a whole new wardrobe – slim-fitting dresses for me and tight tops and trousers for Rhys. We’ve chucked away the baggy clothes we used to hide under.
On TikTok, we’ve been accused of “cheating” our way to weight loss, but a lot of work has gone into becoming who we are today – the surgery was just the beginning. We still track our calories and work hard to maintain our weight and stay healthy.
We’re getting married this month in a big white wedding, and the girls, who are now five, are so excited to be bridesmaids.
After my dad passed away, I realised I’d die, too, if I didn’t do something about my weight
Rhys
Recently, I showed them an old photo and they didn’t recognise me. Making the decision to tackle our weight has changed our lives – we’re saying “I do” as a stronger couple than ever before.
Rhys says: “After my dad passed away, I realised I’d die, too, if I didn’t do something about my weight. I was addicted to food and suffocating just leaning over to tie my shoelaces.
“We’d been saving for a house, but getting a gastric sleeve was more important. After we got back from Turkey, we had no savings and, at first, we were still addicted to food.
“We had to adjust to what our stomachs could handle, and the change in mindset was massive.
“We encouraged each other throughout our recovery, and we feel better than we’ve done in years.”
- Follow Ellie on TikTok @ Ellie_and_thetwins .
