I was a Haribo heart attack waiting to happen then I asked my dad for Mounjaro for Christmas

A MUM who weighed 22 stone lost 13 stone after her dad bought her the “best Christmas present ever” last year – Mounjaro weight loss jabs.

Emilly Murray, 35, tipped the scales 22st 1.5lbs and struggled to squeeze into a size 30 at her heaviest after battling binge eating her whole life.

She would consume around 5,000 calories a day – gorging on Chinese takeaways, pizza, chocolates and Haribos despite every attempt to control her hunger.

Emilly tried different diets but would always put the weight back on again, but in December 2024, Emilly’s dad, Paul Murray, 55, a community centre manager, asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she requested Mounjaro.

The mum-of-three, from Aintree, Liverpool, jabbed for the first time on December 30, 2024 – which she says was the start of a “life-changing journey”.

Since then, she has slimmed down to a near-unrecognisable 9st 2lbs and can slip into a slender size six with ease – losing almost 13st in total – the slimmest she can remember being since childhood.

She is now fitter and healthier, can play with her children – Esme, 12, Ellie, six and Joseph, four – more easily, and is more confident – crediting her dad for the “best Christmas present ever”, a year on.

Emilly, a content creator, said: “My dad asking me what I wanted for Christmas was the catalyst for so much change.

“I was eating myself into oblivion – I think I was a walking heart attack.

“I pinch myself because I can’t believe how this year has gone for me.

“It’s changed not just my life but my whole family’s life – I’m a better mum for my kids, I can play with them in the play centre and go down the slides.

“It was literally the best Christmas present from my dad – I think I owe him a good one this year.”

Emilly said she became overweight as a child and could never keep the pounds off.

Over the years she tried various diets and weight loss techniques but would always end up binge eating and putting the weight back on.

She said: “My nickname as a child with my friends was ‘the whale’ – I was always big.

“I tried to lose weight but I didn’t understand nutrition and I ended up restricting and then binging on the weekends.

“I used food as a crutch and a comfort. If I was happy, sad, or depressed – the answer was always to eat.

“People would tell me to ‘just move more and eat less’ but that’s not so easy when it feels like food controls you.”

Emilly began researching weight loss jabs late last year after seeing stranger’s transformations online, and felt it could be a good option for her, to cut out the ‘food noise’.

She had lost over six stone in a year through a calorie deficit and exercise beforehand, but worried she’d plateau and then put the weight back on if she didn’t take action.

So when dad Paul asked her what she’d like for Christmas last year, she admitted she’d like to try Mounjaro.

He sent her £105 so she could order her first dose online, and she started the jabs, weighing 16st and as a size 24, just before New Year’s Eve.

She said: “I took my first dose and it was like a switch flicked in my head.

“I didn’t wake up in the morning wondering what I could eat any more. That just vanished.

“I felt like I had so much space in my head for everything else.”

She experienced some side effects, including constipation and diarrhoea, but found ways to manage them by adjusting her diet.

Emilly noticed the weight beginning to drop off, her mental health began to improve, and she began to find it easier to do things like walk up the stairs and play with her young son.

Saving cash

Despite spending around £1,500 in a year on the jabs, she still reckons it’s less than what she previously splashed out annually on snacks, takeaways and food on-the-go.

She said: “I used to go to the shop every night and get a massive bag of sweets, crisps and a big share bar of chocolate for myself.

“I used to order takeaways and buy freezer food because I was struggling mentally and I didn’t feel able to cook for myself after I’d cooked for the kids.”

I was eating myself into oblivion – I think I was a walking heart attack

Emily Murray

This December marks a year since she first took the plunge and started the jabs – and she now weighs just 9st 2lbs.

She has lost around 13st now – almost 7st of that on Mounjaro – and says it has been “life-changing”.

She said: “13st is more than I weigh now – that’s like the weight of me plus my son as well.”

Excess skin

Emilly is now preparing to move back down the doses to eventually come off the jabs, as she has entered a maintenance stage where she doesn’t want to lose any more weight.

She is preparing for an excess skin removal surgery in May in Lithuania, which is costing around £12k.

This Christmas she looks forward to a “nice quiet family Christmas” with partner Oliver, 30, a car manufacturer, and her children.

She said: “It’s nice this year to feel happy and healthy, I’m in such a different headspace from last year.

“I can’t believe this year – I still pinch myself at how much has changed.

“Thanks for the present Dad.”