A weight loss journey can be inspired by many different reasons. One particular slimmer embarked on a weight loss journey and was able to lose an incredible three stone two pounds by following a simple diet plan – what plan did she use?
Before embarking on a weight loss journey, 30-year-old Joanne Holden had a “very unhealthy” relationship with food.
She was always overweight and had extreme low-self-esteem. She said: “I used food as comfort and considered my weight to be a façade, it was something I could hide behind.
“Although I have always come across as a ‘bubbly’ and ‘outgoing’ person, I most definitely hid behind my weight and, deep down, I was severely unhappy with how I looked in the mirror. I smothered myself in huge, baggy clothes and dressed in black to avoid drawing attention to myself.
“As a child, I was very sporty and I loved to exercise. As the weight crept on, I became more and more inactive.
“I lacked confidence which stopped me from getting involved in team sports because I was embarrassed,” she said. “It was a vicious cycle.
“I tried joining a gym but I was genuinely humiliated by my own fitness levels and I felt like everybody was staring at me. My weight very much held me back from doing the things that bought me the most enjoyment in life. I would admire all the lovely clothes in the shops but quite simply didn’t have the confidence to even try them on.”
After waking up one day and taking a look in the mirror, Joanne realised she was “the only one in charge of [her] own destiny,” and after seeking her mother’s help, they both joined a simple weight loss programme.
She said: “I am extremely close to my mum and she too was desperate to lose weight, so together we made the decision to join [the dieting plan], and since that day neither of us have looked back. [We lost] a combined total of 100lb.”
What plan did Joanne and her mother use to drop by 100lb?
Joanne revealed that it was the LighterLife simple diet plan that helped her trim down by three stone two pounds, in the end.
She revealed: “In total, I lost 44lb between July 2016 and November 2016, so it took five months to lose the weight.
“Two years later I am still 2lb lighter than I was when I got to target. LighterLife’s Management plan has helped me to understand my relationship with food, and what I should and shouldn’t be eating.
“I’m convinced that being on LighterLife has actually changed my taste buds; I now love foods that I refused to eat for the first 27 years of my life.”
Prior to embarking on her weight loss journey, Joanne would binge eat fast food and unhealthy treats that contributed to her weight gain.
“Prior to LighterLife I used food as a comfort,” she said. “I was addicted to chocolate and ate it in excess every single day. I was lazy and didn’t spend time preparing meals; instead, I would eat fast food all the time.”
However, since adopting the LighterLife diet programme, Joanne has gotten back into the swing of exercise and in the habit of eating healthy.
She said: “I am a completely different person now to the person I was little over a year ago. I train at a local body-building gym at least four times a week lifting weights and doing high-intensity interval training.
“This time last year I wouldn’t have been caught dead in Lycra gym wear and now I live in it.
“I now have an extensive trainer collection and my next goal is to have a six-pack by summer 2018. My partner is a professional cyclist and fitness fanatic and happens to be the manager of the gym where I train.
“Our relationship has gone from strength to strength because of our now shared passion for health and fitness. My body confidence is the best it has ever been and as a result, my wallet is the lightest it ever has been.
“I absolutely love clothes shopping now; I’m bold with colour and can finally wear figure-hugging clothes that I only ever dreamed about wearing before.
“And, to top off a fantastic 2017, I got engaged in November while on holiday! I then had another goal to maintain my weight for – wedding dress shopping!
“On December 21st 2019 we got married, we had the most magical wedding day. It exceeded our exceptions in every single way. We can’t wait to see what 2020 has to offer.”
What is the LighterLife diet plan?
LighterLife is campaigning to help people live healthier and more fulfilled lives by boosting confidence, self-esteem, and belief.
The LighterLife weight loss plans combine a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) with weekly counselling.
With LighterLife dieter get access to meal-replacement food packs – consisting of shakes, soups, mousses or bars – and no conventional food.
With weekly support from a LighterLife weight loss counsellor and a variety of weekly Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Mindfulness activities, Joanne was able to overhaul her lifestyle.
What has the NHS said about the Lighter Life diet plan?
The LighterLife weight loss programmes have several pros and cons, according to the NHS.
Pros
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The counselling can help you understand your relationship with food, so hopefully, you can make lasting changes to keep the weight off for good.
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With the meal replacements, there’s no weighing or measuring, so it’s a hassle-free approach to weight loss.
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Having a break from real food may kick start your weight loss, and the initial rapid weight loss can be motivating.
Cons
- Initial side effects of the diet can include bad breath, a dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, insomnia, nausea and constipation from cutting down on carbs and fibre.
- Surviving on a strict diet of shakes, soups and other meal replacements isn’t much fun and can feel socially isolating.