Ellie Crabtree, 22, from Cumbria, lost an impressive six stone in just a few months by removing bread from her diet.
Ellie’s weight gain began after her father, Geoff, 59, was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer in July 2022. During that difficult time, she turned to emotional eating.
She often skipped breakfast and then ate large amounts of bread. In just one year, she gained five stone while caring for her father.
“I saw food as comfort and felt ashamed. I didn’t talk to anyone about it. When we received bad news, I would just eat more,” Ellie said.
“Bread was my biggest comfort food. I could easily eat half a loaf because it made me feel better.”
Ellie decided to change her diet after seeing one of the last photos taken with her father. She was unhappy with how she looked in the picture.
“I thought, if this is the last photo I have with him and I don’t even want to look at it, I need to make a change,” she said.
After scattering her father’s ashes in September 2023, Ellie began eating fewer calories than she burned each day to lose weight.
Her new diet focused on protein-rich foods such as oats, yoghurt, eggs, chicken, cottage cheese, salads, nut butters, and fruit. She also started exercising regularly.
“I lost four stone and joined a local gym,” she said.
“It was just from eating in a calorie deficit, but I also educated myself on how to lose weight healthily.”
However, the strict diet and exercise routine affected her mental health.
“My whole life revolved around it. I did fasted cardio seven days a week with no off days. It was all about dedication and preparation,” she explained.
Ellie said she put her life on hold, skipping holidays and focusing entirely on her goal.
She placed second in the competition and qualified for the British finals. But after the event, she realized she still had a lot of grief and trauma from losing her father.
“I thought everything would be better after the competition, but I had a lot of healing to do,” she said.
“I struggled with body dysmorphia and some binge eating returned.”
Now, Ellie works as a weight loss coach for women and speaks openly about the risks of becoming too thin.
“You have to gain weight back and learn to be healthy,” she said.
“You can’t stay competition weight forever. I now weigh 10 stone 5 pounds and maintain that healthily.”
She hopes to raise awareness about the mental and physical toll of extreme diets and exercise plans, especially for women.
“There should be more awareness that bodybuilding is not just about the glittery bikini,” she said.
“People need to have a healthy relationship with food before starting something like that. It affects your mental health, and I’ve struggled with that.”
In her work as a fat loss coach, Ellie helps women improve their mindset and habits, aiming to make fitness enjoyable rather than punishing.
Meanwhile, many have turned to so-called “skinny jabs” such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy for quick weight loss.
These drugs have gained attention as celebrities like Sharon Osbourne and Oprah have admitted to using them.
Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide, which mimics a natural hormone that helps control appetite and blood sugar.
The drugs slow digestion and keep people feeling full longer, causing the body to burn stored fat for energy.
About half a million people in the UK now use these drugs. Clinical trials show they can help patients lose up to 20% of their body weight.
However, doctors warn that these medications may harm bone health and increase the risk of fractures.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society has expressed concern that up to 40% of the weight lost from these drugs comes from muscle and bone mass.
This loss can reduce joint stability and raise the risk of osteoporosis, a condition where bones become brittle and fragile.
Related Topics:
Drinking Sugary Drinks After Salty Meals Could Risk Heart Health
