A mum ditched her daily three course dinners to lose half her body weight – and is now swallowed by her wedding dress.<br /><br />Jennifer Brown, 41, says she has always struggled with her weight and tipped the scales at 24st 6lbs and wore a US size 24 at her biggest.<br /><br />After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes when she was pregnant she decided she needed to make a change.<br /><br />But she struggled to ditch her regular McDonalds lunches and three course dinners until a health check up revealed high blood sugar levels.<br /><br />She kept a food diary and cut out fizzy drinks and large portions and lost 6st 5lbs.<br /><br />She then started taking weight loss drug Mounjaro - also known as Tirzepatide - to help her shift the extra pounds.<br /><br />Now a slender 12st 7lbs and a US size 10, Jennifer’s wedding dress dwarfs her. <br /><br />Jennifer, abstractor, from Des Moines, Iowa, said: “I’ve lost an entire person from my body.<br /><br />“I’ve tired on tops that barely fit me before – now they are like a dress on me.<br /><br />“I can’t believe that I’m here.<br /><br />“I have a couple of core memories on my wedding day when I looked at my reflection and said out loud to myself how beautiful I felt. <br /><br />"And that’s all that matters. But I am healthier now.<br /><br />“My health is more important than how I look in a swimsuit.”<br /><br />Jennifer feared she might not be able to look after her son, Maddox, nine and step-daughter, Cameron, 21, after she was told she had high blood sugars in 2019.<br /><br />Her husband, Jeff, 46, a shift supervisor at an ethanol refinery, had a heart attack aged 41 which gave Jennifer another boost to make a change.<br /><br />The mum had often been coming home to a meal of steak, potatoes, salad with ranch dressing, bread and ice cream but switched this to healthy meals such as a pork chop and vegetables.<br /><br />Jennifer said: “I was a binge eater.<br /><br />“I would eat out of boredom or emotionally.<br /><br />“I never felt the feeling of fullness or satisfaction.<br /><br />“I could go to a restaurant and eat an appetiser, main, desert and still be able to have something later.<br /><br />“I basically had a three course meal every dinner.”<br /><br />She lost 6st 5lbs by learning to eat healthy and started walking as much as she could but struggled to shift any more weight.<br /><br />Jennifer turned to the weight loss drug Mounjaro which has helped her slim down to 12st 7lbs.<br /><br />She said: “I’ve never been a size 10 – even in middle school.<br /><br />“I got on a plane and I didn’t have to worry about asking for a seat belt extender.”<br /><br />Jennifer has also taken up running as part of her daily workouts and can now run 5k.<br /><br />She said: “I can run miles.<br /><br />“I can climb mountains.<br /><br />“I get to play catch with my son and be present in his life.<br /><br />“I’m showing him it matter to take care of yourself.”<br /><br />Jennifer doesn't deprive herself of a sweet treat when she is craving it but will get a smaller pot of ice cream instead of her previous order – a hot fudge sundae, with brownie and cherries on top.<br /><br />She said: “I try to keep really balanced.”<br /><br />Jennifer said Jeff has been her “biggest supporter” throughout her journey and s
