Laura always made fun of her weight and the way she looked. She was the token ‘fat friend’ and for a time this suited her as she wasn’t ready to deal with her expanding waistband. The turning point came when Laura realised she was in the obese category, after a consultation with her GP. Laura registered for the diet plan and lost 3 stone 2 lbs as well as dropping 4 dress sizes.

Laura tells us her story…

Have you tried any other diets?

Yes, but I was always hungry and felt like I was depriving myself as it wasn’t real food – just shakes. I did lose weight, but I put it all back on again very quickly.

What made you decide to join us?

I knew that I was putting on weight gradually, and every time I was going clothes shopping I seemed to be going up a size, but it didn’t really bother me. I used to joke about being the “fat friend”, but everyone around me used to tell me I wasn’t fat and I think I just believed them and put it to the back of my mind. I had an appointment in my doctors and she told me that I was classed as obese using a BMI calculator. It was such a shock to hear that, so I knew I had to do something.

Was your weight causing you any problems?

I always hated looking at pictures after nights out with my friends. I felt so fat and frumpy next to them. I also hated going clothes shopping as I couldn’t wear the things I wanted and nothing seemed to fit me properly.

Tell us about your diet before you joined us?

I used to eat anything that was microwavable. I had take aways a few times a week and I was never concerned about the choices I made. I also drank a fair bit of alcohol. Now I only have a couple of drinks per week and it is always a low-calorie vodka and tonic. My diet is full of fresh fruit and vegetables and I still snack between meals, but instead of chocolate bars and crisps, I now have a handful of seeds or a low fat yoghurt.

What difference has losing weight made to you?

I feel like a new person. I have so much confidence and I now have control over what I eat. I couldn’t cook before I joined the diet plan, and I learnt by following the recipes on the diet plan. I have built up my cooking skills slowly and have invested in a lot of cook books. It’s great cooking things from scratch and knowing what is going into my food.

What part, if any, has exercise played in helping you to lose weight?

I started exercising as soon as I joined the diet plan. At the moment I try to exercise 5 times per week, by going to the gym, swimming, exercise classes and walking. I have now made it part of my routine, so if I don’t exercise I actually miss it.

Have you enjoyed the diet plans?

I loved the diet plan, because it never felt like a diet. I have never been hungry. I liked creating the diet plans and tailoring the meals to my own preferences. The comments I received from the support team after my weekly weigh-ins kept me going when I was having a bad day.

How do you feel about your weight loss?

I am really proud of myself for sticking to the diet plan and sometimes when I am having a bit of a “fat day”, I just have to remind myself of what I have achieved and look at an old photograph and remember that I have done so well.

Do you feel confident about maintaining your weight loss?

I don’t view this as a diet, it’s a complete change of lifestyle. I was ignorant about food before and I think that once you are aware of the calorie contents of certain foods and how it can affect you, it’s impossible to go back to the way you were before.

Have you any other tips you would like to give?

Keeping track of your measurements is vital to keep the motivation going. There were many weeks that I wasn’t losing weight, but I was losing inches. If I didn’t keep a log of my measurements, I may have been tempted to give up or resign myself to the fact the plan wasn’t working.

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