The phrase “letting yourself go” is often misconstrued as mere laziness, yet it frequently signifies something more profound—a comfort and security that comes from being in a relationship.

Beneath this comfort, however, lies a complex truth about losing one’s sense of self and the changes that occur when a relationship becomes more of a safe haven than a place for continuous personal growth.

Jewel Thaung’s experience is a testament to this reality.

At the age of 19, shortly after beginning her university journey, Jewel made the decision to move in with her boyfriend, leaving her family home.

This shift meant she was responsible for preparing her own meals for the first time, leading her to choose carbohydrate-rich foods. This dietary change triggered what is known as “food noise”—persistent, intrusive thoughts about food and an overwhelming urge to eat.

As a result, Jewel faced challenges with her weight, ultimately gaining 30 kilograms over the course of her seven-year relationship.

‘I had a very tumultuous upbringing and my parents are divorced, so I wanted a stable, safe relationship,’ the now 29-year-old, from Brisbane, told Daily Mail. 

Despite getting married at 26, Jewel knew years prior she wasn’t with the right person – but didn’t want to admit it to herself at the time because she was afraid of being on her own. 

Jewel Thaung (pictured in 2025) lost 43kg in two years. She shed 20kg with the help of Ozempic in the first year, then another 23kg on her own, without medication

For most of her 20s, Jewel would wake up thinking about food.

‘I’m a real foodie and love cooking but my bad habits got out of control,’ Jewel said. 

‘Nigella Lawson is one of my favourite cooks too. I’d watch her shows and there were episodes where she would eat pasta in bed at 11pm. 

‘It got to a point where I was like, screw it, I’m going to do the same because I can! I just let it take over me. It’s like I was obsessed with food.’

Jewel became skilled at using eating and food as a way of dulling her emotions and not facing up to the truth about her unhappy relationship. 

Shortly after starting university at 19, Jewel decided to move out of home and live with her boyfriend. Having to cook her own meals for the first time meant she chose carb-heavy dishes, which led to the development of ‘food noise’ – persistent, intrusive thoughts about food (pictured, right, with friends before taking Ozempic) 

‘It’s so easy to lose yourself or let yourself go in a relationship. When you’re not actively dating, your nervous system kind of plateaus because you’re in a comfortable, stable, safe, loving place,’ Jewel said. 

‘But later down the line, it can cause problems. At the end of the day, you only have one body and you need to take care of yourself.’ 

At her heaviest, Jewel reached 110kg. 

Her body shame left her too self-conscious for a bikini; she avoided the beach or covered up entirely when she did go. Jewel squeezed into ill-fitting clothes and heavily edited her Instagram photos to make her face appear slimmer.

While she prepared her meals at home and enjoyed cooking, her main issue was portion control.

‘I would cook carb-heavy meals like pasta, roasted dishes with lots of fat, and not much fibre, greens or vegetables,’ she said.

‘I don’t think I realised how much weight I had gained until a few years into the relationship. Even though I loved skincare, makeup and fashion, I was avoidant.’

If Jewel went out for dinner with friends, she could easily devour a whole pizza to herself even if she’s already eaten two carb heavy meals earlier in the day. 

Within the first few months she lost 7kg and was amazed by the quick results (pictured in early stages of using Ozempic) 

Jewel had often tried to lose weight. She participated in intensive F45 gym challenges, went on strict fad diets such as low-carb and keto, and highly restrictive meal plans. 

She emphasises that ‘literally nothing worked,’ not because she lacked willpower, but because these approaches were unsustainable. 

A few months later, a friend recommended Juniper – an online medical weight loss service that offers prescriptions for drugs like Ozempic after a doctor consultation.

‘I hadn’t heard of it before and didn’t know it was a thing. I signed up online, spoke to a doctor and got approved. The whole process was super easy,’ Jewel said.

Within the first few months on using Ozempic, she lost 7kg and was amazed by the quick results. 

Now, she’s single, weighs 75kg and is the most confident version of herself she has ever been. ‘I’ll never let myself go back to that state again,’ she said.

In September that same year, Jewel finally came to terms with the reality of how she was feeling and made the tough decision to end her marriage seven months in. 

‘He didn’t want it to end. It was one of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make in my life. I knew for years he wasn’t right for me. The relationship was like a Band-Aid for a lot of things. But at the time I was so out of touch with who I was as a person,’ Jewel said. 

When her partner moved out it, it was the turning point she needed. 

In the first year on Ozempic she lost 20kg and didn’t experience any strange side effects. 

‘When I lost weight, the first thing I noticed was how my face shape changed. My features were more prominent and you could actually see my cheekbones. Beforehand, my face was much puffier,’ Jewel said.

Gradually, she noticed small wins: buying smaller jeans, wearing a bikini at the beach, and stepping out in miniskirts.

As Jewel began to feel more in control of her diet and exercise regime, she decided to wean off Ozempic to save money – and another year had managed to lose a further 23kg without the drug.  

Now, having lost 43kg in two years, she’s single, weighs 75kg, and feels more confident than ever.

‘I’ll never let myself go back to that state again,’ she said.  

Jewel credits Ozempic with helping to heal her toxic relationship with food. 

She says that over time cravings were silenced and intuitive eating and portion control became second nature rather than a conscious battle.

‘Weight loss medication will change your life and it’s not ‘cheating’. Unless you’ve been in the position, you cannot comment. This medication has been created to change lives,’ Jewel said. 

‘Plus, it’s not as if you need to be on medication for the rest of your life. It’s used to kick-start your weight loss. It doesn’t make you lazy or complacent. The biggest part is how it changed my brain with the food noise.

‘If you’re thinking about weight loss medication, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It works and it is life changing.’