Mother, 58, kept her weight-loss jabs a secret from her daughter, 27 - but was left shocked at her reaction when she finally confessed
A mother has revealed how she hid her decision to start taking weight loss drugs from her daughter, because she thought she might consider them 'extreme' and encourage her to try another diet.
Gill Foster, 58, from Blandford in Dorset, weighed in at 17st 10lb and says she'd tried every diet in the book when she decided to finally take action.
In August 2024, Gill, who, at a dress size 20, had hit 'breaking point', started Mounjaro injections with NHS-backed healthy eating plan Second Nature.
Worried that her daughter Ellie Wescott, 27, would disapprove of the weight-loss jabs, Gill, a driving instructor trainer, kept it a secret for a month.
But when the pair met four weeks later - and Gill had already shed 12lbs - she finally confessed to her daughter.
And, much to her surprise, instead of being annoyed, Ellie was so impressed by her mother's weight loss of almost a stone in as little as a month that she too decided to give Mounjaro a go.
Ellie, who weighed in at 16st 2lbs said that she's 'always had an unhealthy relationship with food', began the same programme in September 2024 and, like Gill, found that the pounds began to fall off.
Now, mother and daughter have shed more than nine stone and eight dress sizes between them since last summer.
Spurred on by a friendly rivalry, they've transformed their bodies - and their health.
Having spent half a century dieting between them, both mother and daughter had tried a number of traditional weight loss programmes - but neither Gill nor Ellie had experienced lasting results.
Gill, from Blandford in Dorset, said: 'I have battled with my weight for 30 years. I'd tried everything and even had success, but the weight would pile back on.
'Medication was a last resort because it was getting to the point where my weight was affecting my health.
Since they began, the mother and daughter have lost a total of nine stone, with Gill's weight dropping to 12st 11lbs and Ellie's falling to 12st 10lbs.
While before both mother and daughter wore a dress size 20, Gill is now a size 14 while Ellie wears a size 12-14.
Reflecting on her weight loss journey, Gill said: 'I did my research and found Second Nature. I was a little sceptical and didn't want to tell anyone I was doing it'.
Having initially kept it secret even from her daughter, Gill soon realised that she would have to be honest.
'I didn't want her to think that I was doing something extreme,' Gill said. 'But after four weeks on the programme, it became impossible to hide.'
Ellie, who's based in Pimperne just outside of Blandford, added: 'I've always had an unhealthy relationship with food.
'The only time I remember being slim - but still thinking I was fat - was back at school when I did extreme exercise to fit in my prom dress.
Like her mother, Ellie had also tried a number of different diets before finding success with Mounjaro.
She said: 'Growing up with a mum who also dieted, it's easy to learn those habits, and we obviously love food!
'But the day after taking Mounjaro for the first time, I texted mum to say that I hadn't been thinking about food at all, and my day seemed to feel quicker, because I wasn't constantly looking at the clock thinking "what am I going to eat next?"'
GILL'S STORY
Gill, who was always naturally curvy, struggled with body dysmorphia as a teenager and, as a 'picker', didn't have a good relationship with food growing up.
Eager to find some support in making more healthy choices, she tried to join a weight loss programme at 19 but was turned away because she didn't weigh enough.
When Gill started university, she ate whatever she wanted and her weight spiralled - but it wasn't until the mother-of-three was 28 (and her eldest son 18 months) that she made another attempt to diet.
Diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 2003, Gill's health was suffering as a result of her weight.
From the early 2000s onwards, she tried a number of traditional diets but always ended up putting the weight back on - and usually a little more than she'd lost.
Gill said: 'I've always enjoyed healthy, good-quality food, but whenever I was cooking, I'd help myself to a mouthful here and there - kind of one for the pot and one for Gill - but I've never been a big portions meal person.
'As my children got older and I worked as a driving instructor, time became my biggest issue. I would skip breakfast then grab something on the go.
'It's difficult to make healthy choices at the petrol station and when hunger struck the temptations won. I was finding it harder and harder not to give up all hope.'
Gill would arrive home after a busy day and eat whatever she could find in the fridge - from cheese and cold meats to pickles an leftovers.
She added: 'I would have good intentions; portioning a healthy meal for dinner, sometimes spaghetti bolognese or homemade curry, but every time I went back into the kitchen, I'd help myself to another mouthful.'
Ellie is pictured before her weight loss (left) and after shedding 4st 6lbs (right)
Aged 58 and squeezing into size 20 clothes at her heaviest of 17st 10lbs, Gill hit 'breaking point' and knew she had to do something 'drastic'.
Searching online, she discovered Second Nature, an NHS-backed healthy eating plan that draws on behavioural science to 'rewire' eating habits.
For 10 years, Second Nature has helped more than 250,000 people in the UK lose weight and, crucially, keep it off.
While it also offers medication-assisted programmes, including Mounjaro or tirzepatide, as well as Wegovy or semaglutide treatments for type-2 diabetes and weight loss, these can be accessed only after potential users have completed an online test to determine their suitability.
Having administered her first Mounjaro injection at the end of August 2024, Gill found that her hunger began to subside almost immediately.
'When I had dinner that night, I wasn't hungry anymore,' Gill recalled. 'It felt like a switch had flipped.'
Yet, unsure how she was 'supposed to feel', Gill wondered if she might have simply experienced a placebo effect.
She was similarly anxious about the potential side effects of the jabs - but didn't suffer with any.
While Gill initially kept it from daughter Ellie, it became impossible to hide after she dropped 12 pounds in the first four weeks.
ELLIE'S STORY
Ellie had also struggled for years with her weight. Having been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), she had tried everything from intermittent fasting to intense gym workouts and walking her dog daily.
Despite all her efforts to shift the pounds, the dial on the scale rarely moved and, at her heaviest, size 20 Ellie weighed 16st 11lbs.
But, encouraged by her mother's quick progress since starting Mounjaro, Ellie joined the Second Nature programme in September 2024 - although she had some doubts.
Ellie recalled: 'I was terrified of actually putting a needle in me and was on FaceTime to mum. I thought, "What if I'm allergic?" - but it was nowhere near as bad as I expected.'
Ellie, who saw her appetite quickly decrease, added: 'I definitely eat less because I'm able to control myself now - and with my portion control.'
The benefits have been far reaching, with Ellie's health improving significantly.
She said: 'I'm losing weight and have had my first period in five years now, which is amazing. I'm healing!'
While Ellie would have previously reached for a chocolate bar if she was craving something sweet, she now opts for a handful of strawberries.
And, importantly, she no longer makes her way through the whole punnet in one sitting.
During her work breaks, Ellie used to scroll Instagram looking for food. For lunch, she would eat a Tupperware pot filled to the brim with pasta, followed by a snack from the vending machine in the afternoon.
Now, she naturally puts less on her plate.
A FRIENDLY RIVALRY
Since starting her programme in September 2024, Ellie has lost 4st 6lbs, bringing her weight down to 12st 10 lbs. As a dress size 12-14, she feels comfortable in her body.
Gill's weight loss is equally impressive. Having lost 4st 13lbs since August 2024, she now weighs 12st 11lbs and wears a size 14.
Gill (left) and daughter Ellie have lost a total of nine stone and eight dress sizes between them
And, the mother and daughter have now turned their weight loss into a friendly rivalry, checking in with each other's progress and encouraging one another to keep going.
'I just want to weigh less than my mum!' Ellie said.
Still, the pair agree that it's been beneficial to go through the Second Nature programme together, supporting each other through the highs and lows.
Gill said: 'We send each other screenshots of our scale progress every morning, and we share pictures of the meals we're eating.
'In the early days, when Ellie wasn't seeing as much progress, I felt like she needed some reassurance and we'd talk about it. That kept us going.'
Now, Ellie is focused on achieving her goal of being a small size 12, which would enable her to finally delve into the box of clothes that has been gathering dust above her wardrobe since lockdown.
Gill's target is to weigh less than 11st and maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI).
Gill added: 'Now, I feel like a "normal" person again - I eat what I want, when I want, without feeling overwhelmed by food. We're healthier, happier, and we've made it through this journey together.
'The absolutely liberating part is I have zero guilt around food. I just have to make sure I do whatever it takes to keep that going!'
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