I lost half my bodyweight but it had nothing to do with Ozempic – a simple daily exercise helped me shed the pounds
Hannah Mai, 37, was diagnosed with Cushing's disease - a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol - in October 2020, after gaining 10 stone in two and a half years.
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Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition.
In April, 2023, Hannah was taken off her steroid medication and was determined to shed the 10 stone she gained due to the disease as she now weighed 20st 5lbs and was a size 26.
In two years, Hannah slimmed down to 10 stone 4lbs and a size 10 by eating high-protein meals and doing pilates every day.
Hannah, who is currently unemployed, from Coventry, Warwickshire, says: "I think Ozempic is great for people who need it, and for medical reasons.
"It is really helping some people, but I feel if you give yourself a chance, you can really push yourself.
"Once I started losing the weight, I just kept going.
"It isn't easy, you really have to push yourself, and focus on who you want to be and think about who you want to be."
When she turned 30, Hannah noticed she started gaining weight and went from nine stone to 16 stone in a few months.
She said she kept going to the doctor, but would always be asked if she was pregnant, or the weight gain was blamed on hormones.
Hannah says: "I was always around nine stone, but I noticed how I started to gain a bit of weight.
"I knew there was something wrong with me, but people around me thought I had changed my diet and asked if I was eating more.
"I was asked if I was pregnant six times, and told that my weight gain could be caused by hormones.
"I went up to 20 stone at my heaviest."
In October 2020, more than two years after she started gaining weight, Hannah woke up one morning with a hunched back.
Hannah googled the cause, and it mentioned Cushing's disease, and after seeing the other symptoms - including weight gain - she went straight to the doctor.
The doctor transferred her to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire, where an MRI scan and blood test confirmed she had Cushing's disease.
Hannah says: "I printed off the list of symptoms and took them to my doctor, who then referred me to the hospital.
"There, I had an MRI scan and blood tests, which confirmed that I had Cushing's disease.
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"I was relieved but scared when I got the diagnosis. I had been saying for years that there was something wrong with me."
Five months after her diagnosis, in February 2021, Hannah underwent brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition, and was placed on steroids to control her condition.
Then, after two years on steroid medication -to control her condition - Hannah was taken off her meds because she started to get better.
After she came off her medication, Hannah says she knew she was better and became determined to lose weight.
The 5 best exercises to lose weight
By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist
EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you?
As a PT and fitness journalist, I've tried everything.
I've taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates.
Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas!
The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit.
My top five forms of exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight, are:
Walking
Running
Pilates
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
Strength training
She adds: "It wasn't easy to lose weight whilst I was still on steroids, as soon as I came off them, I knew this was my body and I was a lot better.
"I really pushed myself, I worked super hard, cut out all sugar, cut out dairy, and gluten after I was diagnosed with celiac disease "I have a low-carb, high-protein diet with lots of vegetables, and I do pilates every day."
In two years, Hannah was able to shift the pounds going down to 10 stone from 20 stone.
She went from wearing a size 26 clothes to wearing a size 10 - back to where she was before Cushing's disease.
Hannah says: "I am super proud of myself, I am always worried that the weight will come back.
"I feel so much happier. When I look back at myself, I just can't believe I was that size.
"When I look back at old photos, I feel very sad about what happened to me, but it makes me think that I need to be proud about how far I have come."
Hannah is currently raising money for The Pituitary Foundation, to donate click here
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