PACKING for her holidays Ann Howard wonders whether to put her bikini into her suitcase.
She might have shed three stone after taking fat jabs but she knows deep down that the idea of wearing a is a step too far for her.
Ann, 38, has fallen victim to an unwanted side effect as a result of taking the weight loss job .
“I dropped three stone but I’ve ended up with a four-inch muffin-top,”; says the mum-of-two.
“Even though I have bought my first bikini in a decade, flaunting it on the beach this summer is a worry due to my new wobbly stomach.”;
support worker Ann, 38, lives in , East Anglia with her husband, Dan, 41 an IT manager and their two children aged 16 and five and says her muffin-top is not the only
She claims using the weight loss jabs not only took inches from her waist but also an inch from her height.
“I used to be 5ft and I have always felt like the smallest person in the room,”; she says.
“Now I am 4ft 11. I shrunk an inch in height using the jabs.
“When you are short like me and only five feet tall you need every inch you can get.”;
Height loss is not a common side effect of weight loss injectables but can occur because the body is losing fat and muscle quickly, especially in the core and back.
National Library of Medicine research reveals rapid fat and muscle loss can lead to a small loss of height because of the way a person stands.
If , it can also impact a person’s height.
“I now have to hit the and do more resistance and weight training to make myself stand taller or grow back an inch,”; Ann adds.
Growing up Ann says she was always an average size.
“It wasn’t until I moved out at 18 and started shopping and cooking for myself did the weight pile on,”; she says.
“I went from a size 14 to a size 18 in just eighteen months.”;
Ann met her husband through work and the pair started dating when Ann was 18.
“Our daughter, now 16, was born in May 2009 and I was a size 22,”; Ann says.
“I couldn’t shift the baby weight no matter what diet I tried.”;
Ann and Dan married in April 2013 and Ann says she was an overweight bride.
“I had to wear a size 20 ,”; she recalls.
“Everyone told me I looked amazing, but I felt like I had failed.
“After that I was always on diets. I lost some weight at but then would regain it.
“I have tried , and diet groups.”;
At her heaviest Ann hit the scales at 17st 11 lbs and had a of 49.9 putting her at risk of and a shorter lifespan.
The couple welcomed their second daughter in June 2019 with Ann vowing to find a way tolose weight that offered a permanent solution.
“I asked to be put on the waiting list for free bariatric surgery but was told there was a waiting list of up to five years just to get an appointment with a consultant,”; she says.
So, in November 2023 Ann flew to for
“I lost three stone and then my weight plateaued, I was devastated,”; she admits.
Ann also started regaining weight and after a visit to her GP discovered she was suffering early as a result of .
“At the time I was 36 suffering hot flushes, low energy levels and mood swings,”; she says.
“I’d spent £5,000 on weight loss surgery, and I was actually putting on weight.”;
After speaking to a friend who had used weight loss injectables Ann started taking Mounjaro in March 2025.
“Within a day the was gone – it was the first time in over 30 years,”; she says.
I won’t be showing off my bikini on British beaches yet – my wobbling muffin top has put an end to that
Ann Howard
Ann lost almost three stone and is now 12st 03 lbs.
“I am back to a size 12-14 and feel amazing,”; she says.
“It’s been life changing and it is the first time I feel in control of my body and weight.”;
However, Ann admits her rapid weight loss using the jabs has left her with a ‘muffin top’ or belly apron on her stomach.
“My jelly belly has developed in the last year, I know it’s due to rapid weight loss,”; she says.
“No matter how many exercises or skin care products you use, I know not to expect your skin to ping back to its pre-fat tightness.”;
Ann’s belly apron is four inches long and she admits she chooses clothes to hide its wobble.
“It bulks me out at the front. Until I have cosmetic surgery, I still have to wear loose clothes over my tummy,”; she claims.
Despite this, Ann is planning to debut her new bikini on holiday with her ‘Mounjaro mates’, a group of female friends who all lost weight using the jabs or from gastric sleeves.
“We are all going on a girls’ holiday to . I can wear my bikini with a cover up shirt and enjoy the sun to celebrate our weight loss,”; she says.
“I won’t be showing off my bikini on British beaches yet – my wobbling muffin top has put an end to that.”;
The mum has also revealed her marriage got a Mounjaro makeover as well.
We used to make love once a month, but now we’re enjoying adult time once or twice a week
Ann Howard
“Since I started using the jab my self esteem and body confidence has improved,”; Ann says.
“I am not hiding my body all the time under black baggy clothes and our love life has improved dramatically.
“We used to make love once a month, but now we’re enjoying adult time once or twice a week.
“I feel like a teenager again.”;
Ann is now saving for her Mounjaro mummy makeover and wants to have a and liposuction.
She is planning to renew her vows with Dan when they celebrate 20 years of marriage in 2033.
“I want to have the fun of being a slim bride,”; she says.
“When we got married, I hated my body and didn’t get to choose the dress I wanted. I had to choose a dress that was ‘in my size’ and was ahand-me-down.
“I want to have a hot wedding dress, some sexy underwear, and to have the experience of being the bride I have always dreamt of.”;
