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Jade Stalker, 36, tipped the scales at 22st 8lbs, indulging in crisps, Chinese takeaways and generous servings of spaghetti Bolognese for years.
Motivated by the fear of being labelled one of the “fat mums” at the school gates just before her daughter began nursery in May 2023, Jade set a goal to shed 10st.
After investing £3,500 on travel to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery, plus starting Mounjaro injections, Jade experienced an impressive 30in reduction in her waist size and now feels “fantastic.”
Now at 11st 8lbs, Jade is confronted with the downside of weight loss – an “overhang on my stomach” and “saggy” breasts caused by excess skin, lamenting: “The loose skin makes me depressed and I struggle to look at myself naked sometimes”.
In response, she’s launched a fundraising campaign online to gather £6,000 needed for cosmetic surgery to trim the surplus skin from her abdomen, breasts and inner thighs.
Hailing from Sauchie, Scotland, the telecoms engineer remarked: “My skin now is so loose, when I get in the bath, it ripples.
“I have quite a large overhang on my stomach – and my boobs are saggy, despite my doctors telling me they’d get smaller after losing all the weight.
“My partner loves me just as I am – she isn’t bothered about all that – but I believe when you’re in a relationship, you still want to look your best for your partner.”
Jade, known for her preference for men’s attire and starting at a hefty 58-inch waist, has always been unphased by her size.
Her daily diet included four ham rolls for breakfast, two bags of crisps for snacks, a Tesco meal deal for lunch, and an impressive “man-size” portion of spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread for dinner.
Yet, motherhood sparked a transformation in her mindset.
Eager to show her daughter “what a healthy body looks like”, Jade took the leap, booking a flight and a gastric sleeve operation in Turkey come May 2023.
Post-operation, Jade found herself unable to finish three-quarters of a burger, and after a year she celebrated shedding 5 stone 8 pounds.
Nevertheless, she admitted that while the surgery reduced her physical appetite, it hadn’t quelled her psychological cravings, which led her to begin a regimen of Mounjaro sourced from an online pharmacy in October 2024.
“The only thing that made me less mentally hungry was Mounjaro,” she revealed.
Describing the effects, she said: “Being on it is like walking through Tesco when you’ve just had a huge meal.”
The results were telling as she lost another 5 stone 2 pounds.
While she recognised the “saggy skin” early on in her weight loss endeavour, she initially mistook it for “fat” that she needed to shed.
She shared: “I’d say my most conscious areas are my stomach, my boobs and my inner thighs – although I’m quite a tomboy so I wear long trousers most of the time.”
Now, she’s contemplating crowdfunding assistance: “I’ve held off from doing a GoFundMe, but it’s getting to the point where it’s bothering me so much – even if one or two people could donate, it would be a huge help.”
To support Jade in her quest for confidence, visit her GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/f/help-me-get-rid-of-my-loose-skin-and-complete-my-journey.
Breakfast: Four ham rolls
Lunch: A Tesco meal deal, with an extra bag of crisps and a chocolate bar
Dinner: A Chinese takeaway, fish and chips, or “man-sized” plate of spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread
Snacks: Nuts, a late-night bag of sweets
Breakfast: Two slices of toast, with butter
Lunch: Meal deal wrap, with yoghurt and a Ribena Light
Dinner: Halloumi wrap with salad inside
Snack: Light yoghurt