Couple lose

IT is hardly the most romantic way to celebrate 25 years of marriage.

Louise and Derek Mills had originally planned to go on a Caribbean cruise.

Instead, he cancelled the holiday and used the £8,000 he saved to buy her gastric surgery to help her lose weight.

Six months later, Louise was so overjoyed with the results she spent £4,000 on a gastric balloon procedure for him.

The operations have helped the couple lose more than 14 stone between them.

Louise, 50, said: “It doesn’t sound romantic but it’s rekindled our marriage in a way we never could’ve imagined.

“Derek’s showered me with gifts over the years and loves spoiling me. Jewellery, gorgeous clothes, you name it, he’s the most kind, generous person.

Junk

killing myself.” Louise also cooked high-calorie meals for the family in Hempstead, Kent, such as fillet steak with mashed potato, huge casseroles, mushrooms in garlic butter, and creamy puddings.

Soon Derek’s shirt size grew from a size XL to XXXL and the previously active couple spent evenings grazing on junk food on the sofa.

In 2017 Louise tried for months to slim for her stepdaughter’s wedding – but got nowhere.

“The idea of looking like a blob in those wedding photos horrified me but month by month I tried and failed with yet another diet,” she said.

“On their big day in July last year I was the same size 20, weighing 15st 7lb and I hated myself more than ever.

“If I didn’t get healthy soon Laura would lose her mum and without me I didn’t know what she’d do.

“It was a vicious cycle of guilt, despair and depression.”

Inspired by a friend’s sister who’d had success with weight loss surgery, Louise looked online – and baulked at the cost.

“I knew we had our dream cruise coming up in a few months, so money was tight, but when I opened up to Derek about how down I was, he didn’t hesitate for one second.

He told Louise: “If money can’t buy you happiness, what’s