At her heaviest, Ellie Jefferies weighed 23 stone and felt trapped in a cycle of food addiction. Determined to reclaim her health, the 26-year-old embarked on a life-changing journey that saw her lose an astonishing 12 stone—an achievement that’s now earned her comparisons to Hollywood star Margot Robbie from millions online.
Ellie began rethinking her weight in January 2022. Alongside her husband Rhys, 30, she decided it was time for a complete lifestyle overhaul. Years of disordered eating had taken a toll on them both, so they committed to making the change together.
The couple travelled to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery, a procedure that reduces the size of the stomach to aid weight loss. Combined, they lost an incredible 24 stone. Ellie, from the East Midlands, now weighs 11 stone, while Rhys dropped from 26 stone to 14 stone 5lb.
Later, they returned to Turkey for a joint tummy tuck to remove excess skin, investing around £20,000 in total into their transformation. Ellie admitted they postponed buying a home to prioritise their health. “Everything we’d saved had to go toward saving our lives,” she said.
Despite critics claiming surgery is “the easy way out,” Ellie stresses that the mental work has been immense. “We had to completely retrain our relationship with food,” she explained. “The operation was only the starting point.”
Today, the couple carefully track their calories, stay active, and work hard to maintain their results. “The difference is unbelievable,” Ellie said. “Losing weight is the best thing we’ve ever done. We feel energised, confident, and ready to enjoy life.”
Ellie shared her dramatic before-and-after online, joining a viral TikTok trend where users compare themselves to celebrity lookalikes. In her post, she joked: “Kylie, make me pretty like you,” before cutting to an image referencing Margot Robbie—then revealing her own stunning transformation.
The video quickly went viral, amassing more than 290,000 likes. Viewers were shocked by the resemblance. Comments poured in, with users writing: “I was NOT prepared for that,” and “This is the first glow-up that genuinely blew me away.” Others added: “You look just like Margot Robbie!” and “You could be her sister.”
Ellie and Rhys met on a dating app in 2015, bonding over their shared love of food. After discovering they were expecting twins in 2019 and welcoming their daughters, Ellie struggled with isolation and turned to comfort eating. Rhys, a lorry driver, relied on fast food during long workdays, and evenings often ended with takeaways, chocolate, and litres of cola.
Even after surgery, their cravings were intense. During the initial liquid-only phase, they admitted to drinking cups of KFC gravy to satisfy fast-food urges. Gradually, they reintroduced solid meals, focusing on healthier options.
Rhys developed a passion for cooking nutritious food and began training regularly at the gym, documenting his progress on TikTok. Ellie added: “We’ve completely replaced our wardrobes. The oversized clothes we used to hide in are gone—now we wear outfits that actually show how far we’ve come.”
