Woman who lost 11 stone after lockdown binges unlocks 'skinny privilege'

A woman who shed an impressive 11 stone following two weight loss surgeries has claimed that she now experiences 'skinny privilege' - with strangers treating her differently due to her smaller size.

Issy Montgomery, a 24 year old e-commerce and social media manager from Grimsby, had always been on the larger side but found herself gaining more weight during lockdown, eventually reaching a peak of 24st 11lbs and wearing a size 32.

Despite numerous attempts at dieting, Issy struggled to find a method that worked for her in terms of maintaining weight loss. In a bid to change her lifestyle, Issy decided to undergo weight loss surgery and had a gastric sleeve operation on the NHS in September 2022.

READ MORE The eerie Yorkshire village with no cars and rumours of hauntings

She managed to lose weight down to 15st, but found it difficult to shift the remaining weight, leading her to opt for a revised bypass in March 2024. Now, having lost a total of 11st 10lbs and fitting comfortably into a size 14 at 13st 1lbs, Issy has noticed a significant change in how she is treated by others.

She noted that people are now more likely to hold doors open for her and smile at her, something she didn't experience before her weight loss, leading her to believe she now benefits from 'skinny privilege'. Issy said: "It's basic things - someone holding the door open. People smiling at you."

"I feel I get treated differently. When you've been big you realise you don't have the same experience. I was quite shocked that people before wouldn't have entertained me before have popped up. I'm the exact same person. I still treat people the same.

I want someone to like me for me not for what I look like. People say you're thinner now - must get more attention. It's a bit sad. Why wasn't she worthy of the same? But everyone has a preference and everyone is entitled to that. It's crazy how different people treat you being smaller. I feel I've been given a second chance of life."

Issy realised she needed to do something about her weight when she couldn't walk up the stairs without getting breathless. She confessed she was "lazy" and "greedy" and would snack on crisps, biscuits and chocolate at any chance she got. She said: "I was greedy. I liked my food. It was embarrassing to be so young and so unfit. It was very overwhelming to lose so much weight."

She had previously tried various different diets but never found anything that worked. Issy was put on a clinical trial for weight loss jab Saxenda at the end of 2021 and lost two stone - taking her to 18st 11lbs for her surgery. She underwent gastric sleeve surgery in September 2022. She said: "It was brilliant. My life changed."

Issy "got her life back", stuck to a healthy diet of home-cooked meals and started to hit the gym. But after hitting 15st she found she struggled shed anymore weight. She said: "It was really frustrating. I was told they surgically needed to go in again."

In March 2024 Issy had her sleeve revised into a bypass - which means she can't absorb as many calories. She said: "I lost 8lbs in the first week." Issy has already slimmed down to 13st 1lbs and is on track to reach her goal weight of 10st 7lbs. She's also considering a trip to Turkey for skin removal surgery.

Despite facing criticism from strangers accusing her of taking the "easy way out" with weight loss surgery, Issy insists it's not as simple as it seems. She explained: "This is the easiest I have been able to lose weight but it's not the easiest way to do it. It has a different set of difficulties. If I have one extra mouthful - it's physically painful."

Her weight before was 24st 11lbs and now she weighs 13st 1lbs. She used to wear size 30/32 and now fits into size 14 tops and 14/16 bottoms.

Before her transformation, Issy's diet consisted of a full English breakfast, sandwiches, crisps, chocolate for lunch, and pasta "lathered" in cheese or frozen pizza for dinner, with biscuits, crisps, and chocolate as snacks. Now, she starts her day with overnight oats, enjoys chicken salad and hummus for lunch, chicken curry for dinner, and low-calorie crisps and protein bars as snacks.