Claire Kelly, a 31-year-old ambulance worker from Liverpool, has lost 10 stone without using weightloss jabs such as Mounjaro. She says her weight once exceeded 20 stone, and she would continue eating even when she felt 'disgustingly sick'.
Turning point after breakup
Claire says she often binge-ate meals meant for four people, followed by a tub of ice cream and a packet of cookies. After breaking up with her ex in May 2020, she says she had an 'epiphany' and realised she could change her life. She also credits her new partner, James, who is in the army and 'very fit and healthy', for inspiring her to get leaner.
Initially, Claire lost 1.5 stone simply through walking, before dropping 5 stone in two months after joining the gym. In addition to diet and exercise, she had liposuction on her stomach and legs and a breast reduction in 2023, going from a G cup to a C cup.
Reaching her ideal weight
After getting engaged in February 2025, Claire shed the remaining 3 stone to reach her ideal weight. Now 5ft 7in, she weighs 10st 7lbs and fits a size eight. She credits the breakup for her 'epiphany' and says it 'massively helped' her begin losing weight.
Claire said: "I had a very sudden breakup and had a bit of an epiphany. It was a lot. I isolated myself during Covid because I worked for the ambulance service. This whole cloud came off me and I realised I was held back this entire time."
She added: "I saw a lot of things in the ambulance service and it made me understand that you only have one life, so why am I living my life so miserably? I separated from that person. The breakup massively helped."
Overcoming binge-eating
Claire described her past eating habits as a 'vicious cycle'. She said: "I did a lot of binge-eating. I didn't know any better. It escalated when I felt I wasn't good enough, like a coping mechanism. I would eat whatever I could find. You just don't stop even if you feel disgustingly sick. It's a very vicious cycle. The volume of food I was eating was horrendous."
She explained: "I would have a pre-made meal that could serve four people in one sitting and then have a tub of ice cream and a pack of cookies. The binges could go on for days. I love chocolate, jelly sweets and cake."
Claire said her mental health has improved significantly since her weight loss. She said: "We got engaged and it really motivated me to become the best version of myself. I lost three stone between February and August 2025. It was extremely hard and it's been a really long process."
She added: "My mental health went from rock bottom to another level. I started finding myself. You can't expect someone to love you if you don't love yourself. I have a little girl and I want to teach her that she needs to value herself before anyone else. GLP-1s weren't available to us when I started and I had to do it naturally."
Claire said she is glad she lost the weight naturally because it taught her more about her relationship with food. She said: "I am very glad I did it naturally because it taught me more about my relationship with food. I couldn't remember what I looked like before. It was eye-opening to see photos before my journey."
She concluded: "It's taught me a lot about being consistent and learning about your body. I wanted to get lean and show off the work I've been doing for the last few years."
