Maz Wilkinson has issued a frank warning that gastric bypass surgery is not “the end of the journey” after regaining 70 pounds.
Wilkinson, 41, a nursery operations manager from the UK, underwent the procedure in January 2013 when she weighed 301 pounds. She eventually dropped 175 pounds, reaching 126 pounds, but later saw much of that progress reverse as old patterns returned.
The mother of one now speaks openly about her experience to challenge what she calls “one of the biggest misconceptions” surrounding weight loss surgery: that it somehow “fixes everything.” While she still considers the operation an “incredible tool” that helped her shed what she describes as “a significant amount of weight,” Wilkinson stresses that the physical change alone could not transform her underlying relationship with food.
“It didn’t change my habits, mindset or relationship with food,” she explained in her public account of the experience. “I remember looking at photos of myself and feeling disappointed that I was slipping back into old habits.”
By last year, Wilkinson had regained approximately five stone — roughly 70 pounds — and recognized she needed a different kind of intervention. In May 2024, she joined a local Slimming World support group, seeking what she described as a way to “feel in control again” and rebuild her confidence.
She outlined her thinking in plain terms: “I realised I needed support, accountability and a way of eating that fitted around real life.”
Living with her husband Matthew and their seven-year-old daughter Isabella-Maria, Wilkinson wanted an approach that would work alongside family meals rather than isolate her from them. She identified grazing throughout the day and reaching for “convenience foods” during busy periods as habits that had undermined her post-surgery maintenance.
The physical reality of her reduced stomach capacity remained a factor. Wilkinson noted that because her stomach is smaller, she requires smaller portions, but those portions still need to deliver adequate nutrition and balance. The support group helped her develop practical strategies: cooking from scratch, planning ahead, and avoiding approaches that make healthy eating “complicated or restrictive.”
Her activity habits have shifted as well. Rather than pursuing structured exercise programs, Wilkinson has become more active with her daughter at home, reframing movement as part of daily family life rather than a separate obligation.
Since joining the group, Wilkinson reports losing one stone and five pounds. She has set a target of shedding another 13 pounds. Yet the number on the scale is not her only measure of progress.
Wilkinson has developed ambitions beyond her own transformation. She now hopes to become a Slimming World consultant herself, a goal she once dismissed as unattainable.
“I never believed I was ready, confident enough or successful enough to do it myself, but over time I’ve gained self-belief and I’m much more comfortable in my own skin,” she shared.
She embraces the imperfect nature of her path, suggesting it is precisely the messiness that makes her story resonate with others. “My journey hasn’t been perfect, and I think that’s why people relate to it,” she said.
Wilkinson distilled her broader philosophy into a single line: “What I’ve learned is that you don’t have to be perfect to make a positive change, you just have to be willing to take the first step.”
Wilkinson continues attending her local Slimming World group while working toward her consultant qualification.