I lost half my bodyweight but it had nothing to do with Ozempic – a simple daily exercise helped me shed the pounds
Hannah Mai says that fat jabs weren't for her
NO WEIGH I lost half my bodyweight but it had nothing to do with Ozempic – a simple daily exercise helped me shed the pounds
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A WOMAN has revealed how she lost 10 stone in two years without Ozempic thanks to one simple daily exercise.
Hannah Mai, 37, was diagnosed with Cushing's disease - a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol - in October 2020, after gaining 10 stone in two and a half years.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
8
Hannah Mai gained 10st due to a rare condition that saw her balloon to 20st
Credit: SWNS
8
She has now lost the weight in just two years
Credit: SWNS
8
However, Hannah did it all naturally without the help of fat jabs
Credit: SWNS
Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition.
In April, 2023, Hannah was taken off her steroid medication and was determined to shed the 10 stone she gained due to the disease as she now weighed 20st 5lbs and was a size 26.
In two years, Hannah slimmed down to 10 stone 4lbs and a size 10 by eating high-protein meals and doing pilates every day.
Hannah, who is currently unemployed, from Coventry, Warwickshire, says: "I think Ozempic is great for people who need it, and for medical reasons.
Read More on Weight Losss
WEIGH TO GO The 60p food dubbed 'poor man's Ozempic' that 'mimics' the miracle fat jabs
"It is really helping some people, but I feel if you give yourself a chance, you can really push yourself.
"Once I started losing the weight, I just kept going.
"It isn't easy, you really have to push yourself, and focus on who you want to be and think about who you want to be."
When she turned 30, Hannah noticed she started gaining weight and went from nine stone to 16 stone in a few months.
She said she kept going to the doctor, but would always be asked if she was pregnant, or the weight gain was blamed on hormones.
Hannah says: "I was always around nine stone, but I noticed how I started to gain a bit of weight.
Doc gives advice on how to tackle Mounjaro side effect of excess loose skin
"I knew there was something wrong with me, but people around me thought I had changed my diet and asked if I was eating more.
"I was asked if I was pregnant six times, and told that my weight gain could be caused by hormones.
"I went up to 20 stone at my heaviest."
In October 2020, more than two years after she started gaining weight, Hannah woke up one morning with a hunched back.
Hannah googled the cause, and it mentioned Cushing's disease, and after seeing the other symptoms - including weight gain - she went straight to the doctor.
The doctor transferred her to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, where an MRI scan and blood test confirmed she had Cushing's disease.
Hannah says: "I printed off the list of symptoms and took them to my doctor, who then referred me to the hospital.
"There, I had an MRI scan and blood tests, which confirmed that I had Cushing's disease.
8
She switched up her diet to calorie controlled and fresh ingredients
Credit: SWNS
8
As well as healthy eating she also practiced pilates every day
Credit: SWNS
8
Hannah says that anyone can lose weight if they put the hard work in
Credit: SWNS
"I was relieved but scared when I got the diagnosis. I had been saying for years that there was something wrong with me."
Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition.
Then, after two years on steroid medication -to control her condition - Hannah was taken off her meds because she started to get better.
After she came off her medication, Hannah says she knew she was better and became determined to lose weight.
The 5 best exercises to lose weight
By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist
EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you?
As a PT and fitness journalist, I've tried everything.
I've taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates.
Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas!
The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit.
My top five forms of exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight, are: Walking Running Pilates High-intensity interval training (HIIT) Strength training
She adds: "It wasn't easy to lose weight whilst I was still on steroids, as soon as I came off them, I knew this was my body and I was a lot better.
"I really pushed myself, I worked super hard, cut out all sugar, cut out dairy, and gluten after I was diagnosed with celiac disease "I have a low-carb, high-protein diet with lots of vegetables, and I do pilates every day."
In two years, Hannah was able to shift the pounds going down to 10 stone from 20 stone.
She went from wearing a size 26 clothes to wearing a size 10 - back to where she was before Cushing's disease.
Hannah says: "I am super proud of myself, I am always worried that the weight will come back.
"I feel so much happier. When I look back at myself, I just can't believe I was that size.
"When I look back at old photos, I feel very sad about what happened to me, but it makes me think that I need to be proud about how far I have come."
Hannah is currently raising money for The Pituitary Foundation, to donate click here
8
Hannah is 'so much happier' now she has lost the weight
Credit: SWNS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
32 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of bath toys are urgently recalled in UK over ‘serious' hazard as parents warned ‘stop using immediately'
Parents with the product could get a refund BE AWARE Thousands of bath toys are urgently recalled in UK over 'serious' hazard as parents warned 'stop using immediately' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A POPULAR bath toy in the UK has been urgently recalled over the serious risk it poses to children. Parents have been warned to stop using the product "immediately" due to the safety concerns of the toy when played with. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The My 1st Bath Toy Ducks by Padgett Bros come in a variety of styles Credit: It is the My 1st Bath Toy Ducks made by Padgett Bros (A to Z) Ltd, reported to originate from China, have been found to present a serious risk to young children. This is because the ducks contain a small part which rattles inside the product when it is shaken. The My 1st Bath Toy Ducks have therefore been given a "serious" risk level rating from the chocking they could cause. The Office for Product Safety & Standards warn that when the toy is filled with water and squeezed, "the small part can come out of the casing, presenting chocking hazard to young children." As a result, the ducks do not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. They have subsequently been recalled from end users. The regulator has recommended use of the product cease immediately, and the product returned to retailers for a full refund. The toys have been available for purchase from Amazon, and directly from the A to Z website at £8.99. It is the latest Amazon product for young children that poses a choking hazard, and has had to be recalled. Earlier this month, a popular baby playmat sold by Amazon was also recalled by the Office for Product Safety & Standards. I picked up a random toy from the charity shop for £3 & made £73 when I sold it - have you got one hiding in your loft? This was because the fabric of one of it's toys could split "under relatively little pressure" and contained a fibrous filling. Last week, another Amazon toy was also removed from markets due to the "serious risk of life" it could present to children. It was the Locisne Hamster Plush Toy models, which had eyes that could detach and therefore risk choking to children.
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Are you eligible for Mounjaro from your GP for weight loss?
From today, Mounjaro will be available on the NHS for the first time for weight loss. However, if you're planning to ask your GP to prescribe it, are you actually eligible and do you meet the very specific criteria? With lots of confusion around today's rollout Dr Hussain is here to sort the fact from the fiction. Health
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Weight loss jabs known as Mounjaro to be offered through the NHS in England
Weight loss jabs known as Mounjaro to be offered through the NHS in England There are no plans for Wales to do the same yet The Mounjaro jab reportedly makes you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry (Image: PA Wire/PA Images ) Prescriptions for the weight-loss jab Mounjaro are now being offered at GP surgeries in England - but only for patients who meet strict criteria. The move marks the beginning of a phases rollout of the weekly injection, which has been shown to help people lose up to 20% of their body weight. It is reported that 220,000 people with the "greatest need" are expected to receive Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide and made by Lilly, through the NHS over the next three years. NHS England says while the long tern plan is for the jabs to become more widely available, the BBC reported that the gradual rollout is designed to ensure that those most at need receive it first, while also helping GP practices manage their workload and avoid putting additional pressure on the NHS' already stretched resources. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here There has been no announcement of a similar rollout in Wales, meaning patents here will still need to go through online pharmaceuticals or private clinics to access the jab. Article continues below Last month, the Welsh Government told health boards that it was aware of the recommendation by medicines body NICE that Mounjaro could be prescribed on the NHS alongside a low-calorie diet and increased exercise. However, it said only that work was being undertaken in Wales to determine if the drug and other weight loss medications would be made available on the NHS here. The document said: "Work is currently being undertaken to determine if and how tirzepatide and other weight loss medications licensed in the future, will be made available in the NHS in Wales. NHS England's commissioning guidance does not apply in Wales.... Welsh Ministers will make a decision regarding any extended deployment of tirzepatide once this work is completed. "In the interim, tirzepatide, semaglutide and liraglutide, for weight loss should only be prescribed through specialist weight management services in the NHS in Wales. There should be no new initiations of tirzepatide other than in NHS specialist weight management services. "We appreciate that there is considerable demand for specialist weight management services and there is a growing pressure for access to these medications through the NHS. "The work currently being undertaken to determine how tirzepatide and future weight loss medications, will be made available in the NHS in Wales will ensure seamless, equitable, safe and effective access to treatment through local services delivered in accordance with a nationally agreed implementation approach." Jess Miles, 37, from Newcastle Emlyn has been taking Mounjaro for a year after accessing it privately. The mum-of-one has since lost an incredible seven stone and two pounds - exactly 100 pounds - since starting the treatment, but admitted it came as a high cost. "I kept putting it off, thinking 'I can't afford this,'" Jess told WalesOnline. "But one day I just thought, b****r it! Something has to change and nothing else has worked!" Learning that people in England - and possibly beyond - could access the same medication through the NHS was difficult to hear, she said. "That did hit me quite hard," she said, candidly. "One of the girls in work told me and I was swearing, ranting and raving. People are going to be able to walk into a doctors and get it for free when I've spent thousands." Despite this, Jess added that she understands the benefits of wider access - especially when done safely and with the right medical support "I know it's safer through the NHS, because they have your full medical history. That's what really matters - making sure it's done properly." That being said, here is everything you need to know about Mounjaro: How does tirzepatide work? Tirzepatide, or Mounjaro, is an antidiabetic drug which lowers blood sugar levels and slows down how quickly food is digested. It makes you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. If the jab is recommended by a healthcare professional, those using it will need to eat a balanced, reduced-calorie diet and to exercise regularly while taking it, according to the NHS website. Who might be eligible for the drug in England? In the first year of the programme, the drug will be offered to people with a body mass index (BMI) score of more than 40 who have at least four other health problems linked to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes; high blood pressure; heart disease; and obstructive sleep apnoea. It was previously only accessible to patients through a special weight loss service, to severely obese people who also suffer from a range of other health problems. Estimates suggest around 1.5 million people in the UK are already taking weight loss drugs, which may have been prescribed through specialist weight loss services or via private prescription. How would it be administered? The drug is usually delivered through a self-administered weekly injection which a doctor or nurse will show patients how to use, the NHS website says. Who cannot take tirzepatide? Mounjaro is not recommended for those who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, breastfeeding or have certain health conditions, according to the NHS. For those taking the contraceptive pill and using tirzepatide, the NHS recommends using an additional method of contraception, such as a condom, for the first four weeks of treatment and for four weeks after each dose increase as the contraceptive pill may not be absorbed by the body during this time. Article continues below What are the potential side effects? Potential side effects of tirzepatide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
