Mum who binged on rich tea biscuits sheds incredible 12 stone after stranger's cruel words
Jennifer Louise, 42, was left 'humiliated' and 'ashamed' after a cabin steward told her that her weight was 'all about life choices'
A mum who was left heartbroken after being shamed about her weight by a flight attendant has shed an incredible 12 stone.
During a return flight home from Lanzarote in May 2023, Jennifer Louise, 42, was left feeling "humiliated" and "ashamed" due to a comment made by an airline staff member. As she prepared for landing, the flight attendant asked her to lower her armrest, making an unsolicited quip about weight being "all about life choices".
At that time, Jennifer, who weighed 24 stone and wore a dress size 26, admitted her penchant for yo-yo dieting and oversized portions had led to her health struggle. And a reliance on caffeine and rich tea biscuits to survive her 40-hour work week as a Proposals Manager also did not help her case.
Upon her return to the UK, Jennifer decided to make a drastic lifestyle change, eliminating carbs and processed sugar from her diet in a quest for healthier living. Within a year, she lost 12 stone - over half of her body weight.
Her current weight stands at 12st 2lbs fitting comfortably into a dress size 14. The Bedfordshire-based Mother-of-one, who now works as a writer, said: "I've been overweight most of my adult life, so I was used to strangers tutting and staring at me."
"But I didn't expect a professional to comment on my body whilst slamming an armrest into me. I felt ashamed and burst into tears. Unless you've struggled with your weight, you don't know how humiliating a comment like that is."
"That's when I knew I had to make a change. In four months, I'd lost four stone - and we got our puppy, Merlin, now nine months."
This addition to the family was pivotal in her journey as Jennifer concludes: "He was the game changer because it meant I had to go out and take him on walks- rain or shine."
"I'm half the woman I once was but I've gained so much because I'm finally able to go into a shop and find clothes for my size.
"Above all, I'm finally the healthy mum my daughter needs- she tells me I'm 'even more beautiful' now."
Jennifer, who has always battled with her weight, saw it escalate during her pregnancy with her nine year old daughter, born in May 2015. Her daily routine involved constant snacking at work, followed by large portions of dinner at home with her husband Stewart, 38, a procurement manager.
"I've been on a diet since I was 16 but nothing worked," Jennifer confessed.
"I'd stick to whatever diet I was on at the time but lose motivation. I didn't see the point of restricting myself for the sake of losing a couple of pounds a week.
"Soon enough, I was back to old habits. I also had no idea how to portion control and I was just sat at a desk all day."
However, she joined the Lighter Life weight loss plan in June 2023 - swapping her carb-heavy meals for meal replacement shakes.
"I couldn't believe how easy it was and the weight just melted off me. Getting Merlin meant I had no excuse not to get my steps in. I now do 18,000 steps a day.
"We're able to go on lovely long walks as a family on the weekend which my daughter loves.
"I can now shave my legs with ease and fit in the bath. Parents at school treat me differently which is bittersweet for me because when I was fat, that's all strangers thought of me.
"I feel great about how I look but knowing my daughter is proud of me is the real win. This year we're going back to Lanzarote -using a different airline- feeling confident for the first time in my adult life."
