GEMMA Collins revealed she is slimming down faster than ever as she updated fans on her health journey.
The TOWIE star, 44, has gone from a size 26 to a size 20 in just three-months since starting weight-loss injections, which she described as “life-changing.”
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GLP-1 injections such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, have had a surge in popularity in the past 12 months.
Having been used primarily as diabetes drugs, they are now prescribed to aid in weight loss by suppressing your appetite.
In January, Gemma teamed up with weight-loss injection company Yazen in a paid partnership to try the jabs.
Last night dined out with her nephew, Hayden, and they both marvelled at her newfound control over her appetite.
Hayden said she previously would have ordered “everything” off the menu and still gone “home hungry.”
She posted to her Instagram stories, showing a quarter-eaten creme brulee dessert.
“Before the injection, I would have had a whole creme brulee and next had some of Hayden’s dessert,” Gemma said.
The TV star explained how she had ordered mussels as a starter and then steak, but couldn’t eat the potatoes that came with her main meal.
“I am satisfied just with that, and I’m seriously satisfied,” Gemma said.
“We’ve come out for dinner today, and like she said, before she was on this injection she would have ordered the entire menu,” Hayden began.
“But now you have left it, you physically can’t eat it, and I’m impressed.”
Gemma added: “It’s life-changing, I’m so happy.”
She also took to her main Instagram grid to share a selfie of her and Hayden, and the pic showed off her dramatic weight drop.
“Always my perfect little baby H . Love our little dinner dates more then … ANYTHING,” Gemma began the caption.
“It’s so crazy though guys being on my injection right now it’s just so unbelievable the way my appetite has changes literally !! Bizarre I want it all but can’t it’s FANTASTIC.
“Life changing to the MAX to go from a size 26 into a 20 !!! IM ABSOLUTELY so THANKFUL to @yazenuk.”
She concluded: “I never thought that anything would ever work literally it’s life changing FINALLY.”
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Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
