Hebburn man loses 15 stone after two-month Mounjaro course

At his heaviest, Reece May, 26, from Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, weighed 36 stone and wore size XXXXXXL. He would wake up at 11am and have two doner kebabs for breakfast. He said: "I used to wake up at 11am and have two doner kebabs for breakfast. I used to genuinely love my food - I'd have what I called a 'food orgasm' when I had a kebab, I got a tremble and felt amazing." His daily intake reached 15,000 calories and cost him around £600 a month.

Reece's weight problems began in childhood. He was bullied at school and nicknamed "Fatty May", which led to him refusing to go to school for six months. He said: "I got bullied and I ended up refusing to go to school for six months. I was a loner and got called Fatty May. I'd always have fry-ups, takeaways, mixed grills, fizzy pop and ice cream - I was never really taught what healthy food was, and I relied on those for comfort."

After losing his father at 18 and his mother three years later, Reece's mental health unravelled. He became self-destructive, stopped caring for himself, and was too overweight to hold down a job, so he claimed Personal Independent Payments (PIP). He ate several takeaways a day and consumed more than 640 litres of gravy in three years. He said: "One time, I had two kebabs for dinner, and was still hungry, so I went and had a third. I could never feel full because my stomach was so big." He also said: "I used to go to bed with heart palpitations, I could hear my heartbeat as I fell asleep. I truly believed this would end my life. Sometimes, I hoped for it."

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A turning point at the gym

In late 2024, Reece popped into a local gym to pick up a second-hand phone from a staff member who was selling it online. A stranger's comment became a wake-up call. He recalled: "Someone in the gym saw me and said 'f***ing hell, you're not long for this world, are you?' I just broke down in the gym, and the trainer and I had a heart-to-heart." He added: "I stopped weighing myself from 22st onwards. I was in denial until someone said, 'f*****g hell, you're not long for this world, are you?'."

He also said: "He told me, if I truly wanted to change, he'd look after me and help me. He told me to get on the scales, and when I did, I was like 'holy s**t'." The trainer set up a diet and training plan for him, and Reece spent £300 a month on the sessions - still less than his usual £600-a-month food bill.

Two months on Mounjaro

In January 2025, Reece ordered his first dose of Mounjaro. Two months later, he had lost 2 stone and decided to stop taking the injections. He said: "I felt I could do it on my own. My trainer suggested I come off it, and I never looked back. I did a meal plan, having things like chicken and rice, pasta, and low-fat burgers, and training in the gym five days a week. At one point I lost 3st in one month."

Over the next 10 months, he lost another 13 stone 5 pounds, bringing his total loss to 15 stone 7 pounds. He went from 36 stone to 20 stone 7 pounds, and from size XXXXXXL to size XL. He has maintained the loss since January this year.

A new life

Reece now works full-time for the first time, running his own technology repair company. He said he previously couldn't stand for long periods or fit into an office chair. He credits Mounjaro with "changing his brain chemistry" and allowing him to make permanent lifestyle changes. A report from the University of York said obesity prevents more than 600,000 Brits from working.

He said: "As soon as the Mounjaro pens kicked in, I have never looked back. Now, I could use my old t-shirts as a duvet cover. Now I'm working too. Before, I couldn't be on my feet too long and couldn't fit in an office chair. But now I realise people need to stop making excuses and take responsibility, like I did."

Reflecting on his transformation, Reece said: "The amount of times I wanted to give up, my trainer once chased me and brought me back when I tried to leave the gym. I tell my trainers now, 'thank you for saving my life' and I mean it. I have a better view on life, and no regrets at all."

He added: "I feel on top of the world. I've had ups and downs and relapses, but for the first time in my life, I'm truly happy."

He continued: "I'm a lot more confident, and you've no idea how happy I am. Truly happy for the first time in 26 years. Never write yourself off, it's never too late to change your life."