Latest news with #Gosport
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Singer, 57, who nicknamed herself 'Fat Emma' looks unrecognisable after shedding 3st using Mounjaro
A singer who avoided cameras because her weight had caused her confidence to plummet has revealed she's a new woman after shedding 3st thanks to Mounjaro. Emma Hughes, 57, from Gosport, Hampshire, once referred to herself as 'Fat Emma' after reaching 13st 9lbs, a weight that rendered her unrecognisable against her former 9st 'slim' self. The mother, who works full-time as a programme delivery manager, tried countless diets but was only ever left feeling miserable, self-conscious, and watching the scale as she piled on the pounds. The weight gain severely impacted her confidence, with Emma admitting she could hardly look at pictures of herself performing on stage. 'It was hard as I'd spent a lot of my youth slim but it was getting to the point that I actually really disliked myself, hated what I saw and it was making me miserable,' she told FEMAIL. Deciding enough was enough, Emma, who is the lead singer of her cover band Spike & the PieMan, started using Mounjaro (a weight loss jab) alongside the NHS-backed health programme, Second Nature, seven months ago. As a result, she has shed 3st or a staggering 19 kilos and slimmed down from a size 16 to a size 12. Emma decided to embark on her weight loss journey after feeling 'miserable' at seeing pictures of herself on stage at gigs. 'I'm in a local covers band and loads of people take pictures when I'm on stage and post them on social media. All I could see was "fat Emma",' she admitted. 'I was doing everything I could to lose weight. One diet I joined during lockdown helped me lose 7lbs - but then I gained that back, plus another 5lbs. I just felt like I didn't have an off switch when it came to food. 'My weight had crept up slowly, and then all of a sudden, I thought, I really don't like myself. I looked in the mirror and it really was quite unpleasant. 'Now, I'm more confident than ever and don't ever want to go back to what I was. I shouldn't be ashamed of my journey on Mounjaro but it comes with a lot of judgment. 'I've done this through my own hard work and think it could help lots of other people struggling.' Growing up, Emma had always been slim, weighing around nine stone. She had her first child when she was 24, and her second at 32. It was after this time that Emma noticed her clothes starting to get tighter. She tried various diet programmes, including one that lasted for four years from 2020 to 2024 - but ended with her gaining five pounds. Although she had what many would consider a 'normal diet', Emma struggled with portion control. Breakfasts of high-fat nuts, carbohydrate-heavy buttery sandwiches for lunch and calorie-dense dinners were her norm - as well as weekly roast dinners, office croissants, and 3pm chocolate bars. It was only after undergoing knee replacement surgery in 2022 for arthritis and not wanting to suffer further health issues associated with excess weight like type 2 diabetes and heart problems, Emma decided to take action. She said: 'I've done the weight loss companies that you go to, and I even tried one of them for about four years but it just wasn't working for me. Initially I did OK, but I slowly slipped. I ended up heavier than when I started. It was a bit of a vicious circle. I hated my body so I ate and got bigger! 'It made me realise my problem was not with what I eat, as these weight loss companies promote very healthy eating, but the volume of food I was eating. I'm a massive foodie and if I had a big plate, I'd always finish it.' In September 2024, a friend told Emma about Second Nature, a weight loss programme that uses behavioural science to 'rewire' eating habits. Intrigued, Emma did her research and took the plunge, signing up to the plan's Mounjaro injections. Starting in late September 2024, Emma was initially prescribed 2.5mg of Mounjaro, losing around 2lbs a week, before the dosage was increased to 5mg. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is an injectable drug originally for type 2 diabetes but now used for weight loss. It works by suppressing appetite and regulating blood sugar levels. 'I couldn't believe how much weight my friend had lost. Being honest, I had lost all faith in my ability to follow diets by this point but I thought, maybe this is something that might finally work,' she recalled. 'I've had issues with my knees since I was a child. Before the knee replacement, I was really struggling. I couldn't even get upstairs properly, so I knew I needed to do something to bring down my weight. 'In my first month on the medication, I did suffer with indigestion - which is a common side effect of eating too much while on Mounjaro - but I soon adapted thanks to the support of the health coaches on the programme.' Seven months on and Emma is 3st lighter, weighing 10st 9bs, and feels better than ever. Now, she says her lifestyle is about balance, not restriction. She doesn't eat breakfast, and for lunch, she has fresh soup without any bread. In the evening, she tucks into something healthy like a homemade chicken curry with 'three tablespoons of rice, instead of an entire packet!' 'I still eat everything I want,' she said. 'On a Friday evening, if we're not playing a gig, my husband and I will sit and watch a film, and I used to get an entire bag of Maltesers and a bag of chocolate buttons, and between us we'd share them. Now I get two ramekin dishes, I put a few in each then I put them away. 'I don't deny myself anything. I just have it in moderation, and that psychologically, has helped me. 'I still love food and I still have what I want, but actually, having it in sensible portions, has allowed me to continue to lose weight and to still have what I want.' Now, Emma feels more confident on stage as the lead singer of her cover band Spike & the PieMan - performing hits from Queen, Blondie, The Killers and Stereophonics - and no longer dreads being photographed. 'Now when I go out and gig, I'm wearing fitted t-shirt type dresses and actually I like myself, and I feel good standing up there. I'm not cringing when people take videos and pictures of me anymore. 'I feel like me again! I'm finally happy in my own skin. I've spent a lot of money doing this, but I did it for my own reasons, for my own mental health and for my own physical health. 'There's real mixed media about weight-loss medication which is sad because I'm so proud of what I've done. It's not a miracle cure, because the work has still come from me. It's just a tool I needed and I never thought I would like myself again and I do! 'I'm a size 12and I'm made up with that - I'll happily stay this way for the rest of my life.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Gosport D-Day embarkation point memorial unveiled
A new memorial to soldiers who set off from the Hampshire coast on D-Day has been unveiled by a Normandy Gosport D-Day fellowship raised funds for the seafront memorial, which has been erected alongside an existing memorial to Canadian Albert Westgate, aged 100, unveiled the memorial at a ceremony at Stokes Bay in site was used as an embarkation point for thousands of troops taking part in the landings on 6 June 1944 that led to the liberation of Europe and the end of World War Two the following year. The granite memorial at Stokes Bay bears the words: "We must never forget the Bravery and Sacrifice of those who fought on D-Day."The Gosport D-Day Fellowship was formed in 2012 by Malcolm Chapman, and Tony Belben to campaign for and raise funds for a memorial dedicated to all nationalities who took part in the men died before they could see the plan become a group's Jilly Salvat said: "I hope that the brave men who left these shores, and whether they returned home or paid the ultimate price for our freedom, are now also looking down, knowing that we remember them. "We honour them, and we commemorate their sacrifice."Mr Westgate was attached to a unit of US soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach on after the unveiling, which was attended by members of the public and local dignitaries, he said: "To see all these people here, basically, if you like, saying 'thank you' to me... well it means everything, and quite honestly I'm still trying to come to terms with it." The beach at Stokes Bay was used as an embarkation point for men and equipment. Concrete slabs were laid directly onto the beach, to allow lorries and armoured vehicles to embark onto landing craft without getting bogged down on the site was also used for the construction of Phoenix caissons, which were part of the Mulberry giant artificial harbours were used to unload thousands of tonnes of vehicles and goods onto the Normandy beaches each day following the invasion. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Shoppers go wild for new viral Dubai chocolate product in stores THIS WEEK – but will be limited to just 3 each
LIDL'S highly-anticipated Dubai Style spread has finally hit the shelves - and it's sending customers into a spin. So much so, the bargain retailer has been forced to place a shopping limit on the exotic treat. 1 The Della Sante Dubai Style Chocolate Cream spread combines the flavours of the insanely popular chocolate but in spreadable form. That means you can slather it on toast, pile it onto pancakes, dip fruit in it or even spoon it from the jar. The sweet and salty pots cost £4.99 or £3.99 for Lidl Plus members, which is far more expensive than the store's other chocolate spreads. However, the price tag is not deterring customers, and the shop has implemented a strict three-jar-only policy. One shared a snap of the toast topping on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group. Followers flocked to the comment section to tag friends and family in the post. Lidl has said it will be available "while stocks last" - so you may want to get in quick. When Lidl launched its Dubai-style chocolate bar back in March, shoppers were queuing outside shops to get a taste. The Sun spotted a queue outside the Gosport, Hampshire, store at 8am with shoppers eagerly waiting for the doors to open. Chocolate fans have been going crazy for supermarket dupes of the expensive Dubai chocolate bars and they've been going viral on social media. Lidl's version was the cheapest when it was brought out at £3.99. Foodies race to buy new Dubai chocolate Easter egg in popular supermarket - the 'filling is crazy' and it's selling FAST Before it arrived in stores, the chocolate bar had been available on Lidl's TikTok Shop. It wasn't around for long though as it sold out in a mere 84 minutes. Numerous supermarkets and bargain stores have been jumping on the Dubai-style chocolate trend. One of the most-anticipated was the M&S version, which it turned out was a new take on the viral Big Daddy chocolate bar. The Big Daddy Pistachio is on the pricier end, costing £8.50 for a big 280g bar. Similarly posh supermarket Waitrose also released a version for £10. Sainsbury's started selling a Lindt version of the Dubai-style chocolate for £10. Iceland is selling two different bars: the Nelino Dubai-Style Chocolate (£2 for 62g) and Bolci Dubai Chocolate (£5 for 100g). Bolci's Turkish-made treat is also available at Morrisons. Meanwhile Home Bargains is selling Dubai Chocolate Cookies for the bargain price of £1.25. Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts IF you've ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you'll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff. Aldi's speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals. It's all part of Aldi's plan to be as efficient as possible - and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers. Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process. It also uses 'shelf-ready' packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock.
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Warm room to open at Gosport church community hub
A Christian charity has won permission to build a warm room at a community Well Care Centre in Gosport, Hampshire, said the new building would replace a dilapidated storage structure at its site in Toronto charity said it would be used by visitors to the site's food bank, second hand furniture showroom and other planning application was approved by Gosport Borough Council. The care centre, which was founded in Gosport in 1992, moved to its current site in provides food for more than 600 families, as well as supplying cheap furniture and free school uniforms, according to the charity's new 82-sq-metre (880-sq-foot) building will be clad in steel and grey paint to fit in with its industrial-style surroundings. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Gosport MP fears for future of Royal Navy training bases
Concerns over the future of two naval training bases have been raised by an Caroline Dinenage has spoken in the House of Commons about fears for HMS Sultan in Gosport and HMS Collingwood in Fareham. The Conservative MP for Gosport asked for reassurance on their future, after the government published its review of strategic defence and security which states Royal Navy training estate needs "were being reconsidered".The secretary of state for defence, John Healey, said further work on "the nature and needs of our defence estate" was being carried out. Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Dinenage asked the defence secretary to confirm the local bases are not under Dinenage said: "This line, page 105, reconsidering training estate needs, will concern many."Could he confirm that the outstanding training establishments at HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood, which employ so many, will not be under threat?" In response Mr Healey said further work on "the nature and needs of our defence estate" was being carried added: "It's right that we do that because we have a long-term view now, we'll be able to take better long-term decisions on that."In a statement, Ms Dinenage later said the review was "very concerning".She added: "HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood not only offer an incredibly high standard of training and value-for-money for the Royal Navy, but they also create many high skilled jobs in the Gosport peninsula."I will continue to campaign to ensure that the government recognises the contribution of these outstanding establishments." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
