How I broke free from the weight that was holding me back
For years, my weight had been stopping me from living my life. I couldn’t move around easily, I didn’t sleep well and I couldn’t even wear my wedding and engagement rings any more – they just wouldn’t fit.
I missed my old life so much – especially rallying, a motorsport I’d been part of for 25 years. But for the last five, I hadn’t been able to compete. First the pandemic got in the way, and then my weight gain made me feel unsafe to be in the car. I was worried that if we crashed, I wouldn’t be able to get out.
The turning point came when I did a test day navigating in a rally car and fell back in love with the sport. That day changed everything – I knew I wanted to compete again, and that meant I had to lose a lot of weight.
Nothing else worked for me
Nearly 20 years ago, LighterLife helped me lose a significant amount of weight. But after years of keeping the weight off, treatment for endometriosis threw me into medical menopause, which was devastating, and the weight piled back on again. I went through a phase of trying what felt like every diet known to man (or woman!), but nothing worked.
So, with my newfound determination to get back into rallying, LighterLife was my obvious choice, because it’s the only weight-loss programme I’ve ever done that has made a lasting difference.
Starting again
I started with a 12-week TotalFast subscription for Foodpacks and joined the free weekly group run by my Mentor, Vicky.
My first week on the TotalFast plan surprised me – I wasn’t hungry at all. The structure helped, and keeping well hydrated. And finding my favourite Foodpacks – the Nut Fudge and Double Chocolate bars, the Chai Latte shake, the Porridge FastPot and the Popped Chips.
But what really made the difference was the incredible support I got from my Mentor, Vicky, and the other women in my group from day one. Our WhatsApp chat was amazing, too. Vicky posted motivational messages every single morning. It’s wonderful to start each day in such a positive way, and a great source of encouragement.
LighterLife isn’t just about consistent weight loss – it’s a complete shift in how you think and feel, with the focus on our wellbeing journey, rather than just an eating plan. The weekly online CBT and mindfulness sessions have helped me explore my emotions and behaviours around food, and that’s so important for improving your self-awareness around eating.
A total transformation
As the weight came off, everything changed. I’m not just slimmer – I’m happier, more energetic and far more confident than I’ve been in years.
I’m sleeping far better, I move more and I now do online exercise classes every other day – something I couldn’t do before because of the severe pain in my joints. Now I have very little joint pain, and the regular exercise is helping me to get fitter and be able to do activities that I used to avoid, even little things like moving around more in my job.
I’m also wearing brighter colours and fitted dresses that show off my new waist – clothes that make me feel good, not just hide my body. I can even wear my wedding and engagement rings again. And I’ve returned to rallying – my first competition was in April at the Scottish Rally Championship, navigating in a MK2 Escort, and I loved every minute!
Learning to live differently – for good
The CBT work in our weekly online group sessions with Vicky has been absolutely critical to my continued weight-loss success, especially now that I’m in Management. It’s helped me see my worth. I know now that I am enough, and that I deserve to keep the weight off. The tools I’ve gained have enabled me to be more reflective, not just where food is concerned but in my life overall, and this is having a transformative effect.
The Re-Creating Me journal that I got as part of my 12-week subscription has become part of my daily routine. I use it to start the day in a positive way and end it by reflecting on what’s happened and what I’ve learned. It’s helped me see all the good things in my life and build positive habits that stick.
Before, I didn’t realise how much I was using my weight as a safety shield, as a way to hide and protect myself.
The CBT work has let me see food for what it really is – fuel, not a reward or a comfort blanket. For years, good days and bad days all had the same result – eating to celebrate or to cheer myself up. My CBT tools are the key to keeping my healthy wellbeing journey going forever.
Find your why
If you’re considering LighterLife, take the leap – you’ll never regret it. But do it properly. Commit to a 12-week closed group and make the most of the support. I urge everyone who wants continued success to join a group. It’s a safe space where you’ll have so many light-bulb moments around your eating habits. And let your Mentor guide you – Vicky has been with me every step of the way, and that’s been invaluable.
Most of all, find your “why” and never forget it. That’s what will keep you going when it gets tough – and it will, because changing habits and thinking patterns of a lifetime is hard, and that’s why we need the level of support that LighterLife offers to succeed in the long term.
