“My body was hurting. My head was hurting. And my heart was broken. It was now or never.” Your jab life unfiltered

Anna-Louise Dearden | Last update: 4th October 2025

Why did you decide to start slimming jabs – and what was your turning point?

(We love a lightbulb moment – big or small.)

I had tried absolutely everything you could think of before the jabs. I even paid 10k for a Gastric band which didn’t work. I lost two stones but then I found ways to bypass the band, chocolate slides through easily! The band just didn’t work on my brain the way Mounjaro does. 

My body was hurting. My head was hurting. And my heart was broken. I have a beautiful family that I wanted to be alive to see grow up.

It was now or never.

What surprised you most when you started?

(Be honest. We’ve heard everything from burping air to crying over chips.)

How easy it was!

After a couple of hours after the first jab it was like a switch had been activated.  My mind was silent. I couldn’t hear the constant food noise anymore; 

the constant pressure of thinking about food. It was gone. Just like that.

What’s your jab routine like now – pen, time, tricks?

(Do you set an alarm, use a Post-it, or just wing it?)

Jab and weigh day is every Friday morning. It’s the bathroom, then get weighed. I look forward to it every single week. I then jab just before breakfast, always in my stomach. 

Who has been the most supportive person in your WLD journey?

(Mum, bf, total strangers?)

My husband Chris and my parents. They are like my own cheerleaders! Chris gives me compliments every day, and has been with me every step of the way. I couldn’t have done it without him. My Mum and Dad have waited a long time to see this change in me. I started my first diet aged 12, so to still have their full support all these years later when they have seen me fail so many times before, means the world to me. 

What’s your go-to comfort food now – and what’s out?

(Pasta forever? Chicken ick? We want it all.)

I can happily say, I no longer need comfort food. I used to rely very heavily on chocolate, it was my crutch. I hid it and ate it in secret. I could go through bars and bars of the stuff in one sitting. 

For the past 11 months I haven’t once wanted any chocolate at all. The need has just gone.

I do like to have a protein shake for breakfast every day now, and I look forward to that.

Best thing you’ve gained – besides weight loss?

(Confidence? Shoes you can finally lace up? Energy to argue with your partner again?)

Confidence without a doubt. I was 29 stone; I’ve lost 11 stone and it’s my one year anniversary on October 4. No longer am I the fattest person in the room.  I can sit on a chair without worrying if I’m going to break it. I absolutely love buying new clothes now; it’s costing me a fortune! I even bought a leather jacket recently. I couldn’t believe I could fit in it!

Anything you wish someone had told you at the start?

(Newbies, take notes.)

Drink water. Lots of water. Get a Stanley type cup and fill it with ice and water. I drink two of them a day, so around four  litres. Also fibre. Everyone talks about protein being important,  which it is, but so is fibre, you really don’t want to get constipated. 

What’s your take on the whole easy way out chat – and have you adjusted your lifestyle too – fitness/nutrition etc.?

(Be honest. It helps our readers cope.)

I work really hard every day to ensure I am eating the right types of food, nutritionally balanced healthy meals.

Also, I really don’t care what other people think, people can judge but they haven’t been in my shoes or in my mind.

That’s why the GLP1 community is amazing. It’s so supportive as they know how difficult it is dealing with the disease of obesity. I walk more than I ever have.  This time last year I couldn’t even walk for three minutes without being completely out of breath.

What’s your next goal?

(Could be to run for a bus or dance at my daughter’s wedding – or come off the drugs and carry on with a lifestyle change – whatever matters to you.)

I still have more to lose before I’m at goal weight and I want to be able to go to the theatre to watch a show and sit in the tiny seats comfortably. I stopped going to the theatre around 20 years ago as I couldn’t fit in the seats, so that’s definitely my next goal.

Finally – give us your one-liner SlimrChat wisdom?

(What would you write on a Post-it for the next person starting out?)

Start now. Focus every day.

Never forget why you started it.

A new life is waiting for you.

Inspired by Lynsey’s weight loss journey? Have a look at what Vivienne, Laura, Emily, Katie and Jen said about their journeys.