After Losing 80 Lbs. with Mounjaro, This Raleigh, N.C. Woman Dressed Up As ‘Cowgirl Barbie’ For Halloween (Exclusive)

Since college, Susan Parsons Chappell has been very familiar with the feeling of shame.

“I was constantly judging myself. “I was not only ashamed of my appearance, but of who I was,” she says. “I would think, ‘If only you had more willpower. If you worked more. . .’ ”

She dieted (“every diet imaginable”), exercised, and even had stomach surgery in 2015. “I would gain weight. I would lose weight. Then I would return it, no matter what I did,” she says.

At one point she reached 275 pounds, and her struggles made it difficult to enjoy her birthday, which falls on Halloween: “I never wanted to wear a costume because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself.”

Susan Parsons Chappell.

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In 2020 she weighed 244 lbs. and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Despite medication and work with a nutritionist, she struggled to control the disease. “I felt like my doctor was blaming me,” she says.

“I neglected my care because I was afraid to go to the doctor. I had such anxiety about it.”

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Susan Parsons Chappell as Cowgirl Barbie.

Courtesy of Susan Parsons Chappell

She began researching weight loss drugs on her own, and in August 2022 she made an appointment for telehealth at the now famous Weight Watchers clinic. She was prescribed Mounjaro (she injects herself every week) and has since lost 80 pounds and her blood sugar is now in the normal range.

“Medication calms my mind. I was constantly thinking about what I was going to eat – she says. “Now food is more about fuel and less about emotion.”

She revealed that she no longer wanted to hide. On her TikTok account (@truthfully1031), she shares food tips (home fryer chicken nuggets are a favorite) and exercise challenges (she’s walked 1,000 miles since starting her health journey) with her 41k followers.

She dressed up for Halloween again this year: “I was a cowgirl Barbie and I actually showed my tummy.” I enjoyed it so much!”

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Source: HIS Education