'I lost 8st after surgeons asked me if I'd made a will'
Nursery manager Ellen Ogley, 42, was asked if she had made a will before her hysterectomy operation - and it was a turning point in her life
The medical team were brutally direct when they visited Ellen Ogley ahead of her hysterectomy procedure. She'd anticipated some discussion regarding potential complications, but it hadn't occurred to her that she'd need to sign a statement concerning her weight - or that they'd enquire whether she'd drafted a will.
For childcare centre manager Ellen, 42, from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, it marked a pivotal moment in her existence. Previously dissatisfied with her looks and wellbeing, the married mother-of-three and stepmother-of-two has dropped an astonishing eight stone (51 kg), revolutionising both her physique and her self-assurance following years of battling with her weight, comfort eating and insecurity.
She confessed she previously concealed her misery with booze and excess food, but now she exudes the vitality and optimism she'd only ever fantasised about. "My heaviest weight was 16st 12 lbs (107 kg)," she said.
"It was during my hysterectomy surgery that I realised something had to change. I was asked if I had a will and needed to sign a declaration about my weight and the risks of lengthy surgery, even a resuscitation form.
"As a mum, this was really scary and all I could think of was 'what if I don't make this?'. At that moment, I knew I couldn't carry on like I was."
Following her recovery from the gruelling five-hour procedure and receiving the cancer all-clear, she vowed to transform into the fittest, most robust version of herself - not only for her own sake but for her youngsters, aged 17, 15 and 12. Her slimming odyssey commenced in September 2023 and, through pure grit and relentless effort, she shed three stone (19kg) via a strict eating plan and fitness regime.
However, when the scales refused to budge further, she dreaded reverting to previous patterns. "I thought, 'Here we go again, I'm going to fail,'" she recalled.
"So I did what many do, I booked a tummy tuck, thinking it would help bring the number on the scales down. But it didn't. I was still obese on the BMI scale, which devastated me."
Then arrived Mounjaro, the weekly slimming jab that has swept across the globe. "I started Mounjaro in June after ordering it in May," she explained.
"At that point, I'd already lost three stone but was completely stuck. I'd been super restrictive to this point and just couldn't shift any more. I was sceptical about the medication, but I thought I had nothing to lose."
The initial weeks proved challenging.
"I had headaches and an upset stomach at first, but I quickly realised that was because I wasn't eating enough. Once I started fuelling properly, the side effects eased massively," she said.
Across 22 weeks, including six weeks of gradual withdrawal, Ellen dropped another three stone. Yet for her, the most significant transformation wasn't bodily - it was psychological.
She said: "Mounjaro was a real light-bulb moment. I'd struggled with binge eating, especially emotional bingeing. I'd eat when I wasn't even hungry, if I was happy, sad or stressed, it didn't matter. The jab switched off that constant food noise and helped me stop those impulsive habits and urges. It gave me the space to learn new, healthy behaviours that I've kept on with, even almost a year since coming off it!".
She added: "It's been almost 12 months since my last dose and haven't gained a single pound back. In fact, I've even managed to lose another stone and a half on my own with the great habits I've learnt. It's shown me that long-term success really does come from lifestyle changes, not dependency. I'm proof that if I can do it, anyone can."
Alongside her slimming success, Ellen has also had multiple procedures to complete her makeover - including a tummy tuck, face and neck lift, plus upper blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), all carried out by AM Aesthetic Surgery in the UK.
"My tummy tuck was the first one," she revealed. "I definitely had it for the wrong reason, because I was convinced it would make me skinny. It didn't, but it did remove the loose skin that made me feel uncomfortable.
"I wish I'd waited, though, because now I've lost another four-and-a-half stone and have some excess skin again. I've thought about a revision, but it would mean a full tummy tuck with a vertical scar, which I don't want."
Still, she described the operation as "one of the best decisions" she'd ever made. "You don't realise how much you use your abdominal muscles for everything, coughing, sneezing, even laughing, until you can't," Ellen said. "The recovery was tough, but it was worth every second."
Her facial and neck lift, paired with an upper blepharoplasty, followed next, just seven weeks ago. "I'm still healing, but I'm already thrilled," she said.
"The crepey neck, the jowls? Gone. I feel fresh and confident again. My scars are tiny and barely visible, and my upper blepharoplasty has completely transformed my eyes. I feel like me again, just a more polished version."
Ellen's candour about her procedures and Mounjaro experience has turned her into an online inspiration, where she posts frank updates about recovery, fitness routines and the realities of sustaining her weight loss. What began as an anonymous profile, Ellen initially created her account under the pseudonym "Nelle" to avoid recognition, but now stepping out of the shadows, proud of her achievements, she openly chronicles her transformation with thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram.
Her blend of wit, authenticity and encouragement has resonated with middle-aged women, demonstrating that reinvention is achievable at any stage of life. "Once, I hated exercise," she said.
"I used to dread it, sweaty, painful, awful. Now I love it so much that rest days make me feel lost! I now train four to five times a week, a mix of weights, cardio and core work, and I easily hit 10,000 steps a day, sometimes 15,000 on rest days. Exercise is everything for me now, not just for my body, but for my mind."
Her relationship with food has also transformed completely: "I used to be carb-heavy and drink too much alcohol. Now I'm mindful, lots of fruit, yoghurt, granola, frozen mango, the occasional treat like a biscuit or takeaway, but always moderation. I feel fully in control now."
Away from the gym, Ellen has found fresh enthusiasm for fashion, travel and the simple joys of a happy, healthy lifestyle. "I'm actually in love with clothes," she said.
"I used to dread shopping, it was always about finding what would cover my problem areas but now I love trying on outfits and feeling confident in my skin. My new dress size label still shocks me even now! I love travelling, meeting new people and saying yes to life again."
Reflecting on her journey, Ellen said she hardly recognised the woman she used to be: "I'd tell her, 'That magic fix you're looking for doesn't exist. You're going to have to work hard and make those uncomfortable changes. You'll hate it at first, but one day you'll love it, even become a bit obsessed. But your body and confidence will thank you for it. Now get moving!'" Eleven months into her weight loss journey, Ellen is keen to inspire others. "I want people to know you don't need to stay on Mounjaro forever," she expressed.
"It can be done, with small, important changes which you'll later thank yourself for. I'd love to keep coaching others, maybe start a podcast and interview people who've had similar journeys. I think we can all learn from one another."
Nowadays, Ellen's life has taken a complete turn, becoming fitter, healthier and brimming with energy she once thought was lost. "I'm grateful every day," she shared.
"I got my health back, and with it, my happiness. I've learned to love movement, to enjoy food without guilt and to finally be proud of the woman in the mirror."
To follow Ellen's fitness journey, visit her YouTube channel, where she shares her workout sessions and training routines designed to help others feel stronger, fitter and more confident at any age.