Jesy Nelson's Secret Weight Loss Jabs and Body Image Struggle Revealed
Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has disclosed she maintained a secret stash of weight loss injections, which she used to slim down rapidly before appearing in music videos during her time with the chart-topping girl group. The 34-year-old artist opened up about these extreme measures in her new Prime Video docuseries, Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, detailing how panic would set in when video shoots were announced.
Extreme Measures and Pandemic Panic
Jesy recalled a specific instance during the pandemic when she had been eating freely without concern, only to receive a call requiring her to prepare for a Holiday music video in beachwear within days. "I was dreading that phone call," she admitted. "I just stuffed my face in lockdown and now you want me to get into a bikini? This is my worst nightmare." Her immediate reaction was to frantically search online for "the quickest way to lose a stone in five days," highlighting the intense pressure she felt to meet industry standards.
Mother's Concerns and Childhood Influences
Jesy's mother, Janice White, expressed deep worry about her daughter's habits, revealing she once discovered the weight loss injections and confronted Jesy about them. "I always worried when music videos would come up because I know she'd go to extremes to lose weight," Janice said. "She'd always be starving herself." Jesy has since connected her own struggles with food to learned behavior from childhood, noting she observed her mother constantly weighing herself and drinking Slim Fast. "I picked that up as a child, and I think that followed through," she explained on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast.
Journey to Body Positivity After Twins
In a transformative shift, Jesy now expresses pride in her body after welcoming twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, in October. She shared that it took becoming a mother to appreciate her physique, despite 33 years of extreme dieting and self-criticism. In a heartfelt social media post, she wrote, "I never thought it would have taken having two beautiful baby girls... to make me realise how incredible my body actually is." She encouraged other new mothers to be kinder to themselves and resist the pressure to "snap back" quickly after childbirth.
Mental Health and Little Mix Departure
Jesy's body image issues were compounded by severe online trolling following Little Mix's X Factor win in 2011, which led to depression and a suicide attempt. She described receiving messages calling her "the ugliest thing" and saying she "deserves to die." This toll on her mental health ultimately contributed to her decision to leave the group in December 2020, citing the constant pressure of girl group life as overwhelming. In her departure statement, she emphasized the need to focus on her well-being and happiness.
Current Focus and Advocacy
Recently, Jesy has shifted her attention to raising awareness after publicly revealing her twins' diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1. She discussed this on ITV's This Morning, using her platform to advocate for greater understanding. While she briefly pursued a solo career post-Little Mix, she has since stepped back from the spotlight, focusing on family and personal growth. Her story underscores the pervasive challenges of body image in the entertainment industry and the importance of mental health support.
