“I lost over 9 stone – but more than that, I stopped hiding from my own life”
Fiona, 60, from North Yorkshire, has lost over nine stone with LighterLife since starting her journey in August 2024. But for her, the real change wasn’t just the number on the scales – it was finally feeling like herself again after years of being consumed by her weight.
“Being overweight consumed me…”
Every day used to feel like a series of obstacles. Fiona remembers constantly second-guessing the simplest things – Will that chair hold me? Can I fit between those cars? What can I wear to hide myself?
“It was the first thing I thought about in the morning and the last thing at night,” she says. “I felt disabled by my weight. Everything was harder than it should have been.”
With her 60th birthday approaching, she knew something had to change – not just physically, but mentally too.
“I’d done every diet – I knew it all, but couldn’t apply it”
Like many people, Fiona had spent decades stuck in a cycle. She describes herself as an “expert dieter” – someone who knew all the rules but couldn’t make them stick.
“I was always either losing or gaining, never maintaining. Feeling good or bad, but never satisfied.”
Traditional weight loss groups didn’t work for her either. “Sitting around talking about food, shopping for food, cooking food… it was just too much. I needed to step away from all that noise.”
With a significant amount of weight to lose, slow weekly losses felt discouraging. “By the time I saw any real change, I’d already lost motivation.”
The turning point: “One stone = one month”
Having used LighterLife before, Fiona returned with a different mindset – and a simple rule that changed everything.
“One stone equals one month. That’s it. When I broke it down like that, it felt manageable.”
She stopped overcomplicating things and focused on the long game. “All it was going to take was time. That simplified everything for me.”
“I went from hiding to actually enjoying my life again”
Somewhere along the way, Fiona realised something deeper had shifted.
“I think I’d lost myself over the years. I was so focused on my career and everything else, I stopped taking care of me.”
Now, that’s completely different. “There isn’t one area of my life that isn’t better.”
She walks daily with Dora, her cavapoo. She travels in a motorhome with her husband. She shops for clothes she actually wants to wear – bright colours instead of “dark shapeless tents.”
“I wear shorts now,” she laughs. “I would never have done that before.”
What made the difference this time
For Fiona, the structure of the programme mattered – but it was the people that made it stick.
“The food packs are just a means to an end. The real heart of it is the group.”
Online sessions suited her perfectly. “No going out on cold, dark nights. And the WhatsApp group – there’s always someone there with encouragement.”
She credits her Mentor, Tracey, as “simply fantastic.” Supportive, but also willing to challenge her when needed.
“I’ve done the 12-week group three times, and each time I’ve taken something new from it. You can’t unlearn what you discover about yourself.”
The changes you can’t measure on the scales
Some of Fiona’s biggest wins are the everyday things most people take for granted.
Fitting comfortably in an aeroplane seat – without a belt extender.
Walking along the beach with her family.
Being able to reach her feet without pain.
Trying on clothes in a shop instead of avoiding them completely.
“I used to carry my own seatbelt extender on flights. Now I can tighten the seatbelt.”
Even simple things, like walking between parked cars or sitting down without worry, feel like victories.
“And looking in the mirror and thinking, ‘I don’t look too bad’ – that’s probably the best one.”
“I’m not out of control anymore”
Fiona has also seen real health improvements – better sleep, improved asthma, reduced medication. But more importantly, she feels in control again.
“I understand when I need to eat and when I need to stop. And if things slip, I know exactly how to get back on track.”
She’s learned she’s an “all or nothing” person – and now uses that to her advantage.
“It’s still a battle sometimes. That rebellious side is still there. But I have the tools now.”
“If you’re thinking about it – just start”
Fiona’s advice is simple:
“Start with the end in mind. Think about all the things you want to do – even the tiny things no one else sees.”
Trust the process, she says, and keep it simple.
“One stone equals one month. The journey goes quickly. And what have you got to lose? Just the weight – and you might find yourself along the way.”
