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Home / Success Stories & Blog / Success Stories / For goodness sake, go to group. It’s free and it’s the key. You need to know why you got to the weight you are now.

For goodness sake, go to group. It’s free and it’s the key. You need to know why you got to the weight you are now.

Lisa has lost over 2 stone

Back in 2008, after not seeing my neighbour for a few weeks, I caught up with her and she looked incredible – all down to LighterLife! I’d never heard of LighterLife before but when I found out the face-to-face group meetings were only 15 mins from home, I joined immediately. I loved the idea of smaller groups, and knowing it worked was just the icing on the cake.

Why did I choose LighterLife?

I’d tried various diets on and off from the age of 14, and even became a consultant for one organisation. All the companies had solutions for losing weight but I got frustrated because none of them addressed the underlying issues around why we overeat.

I came back to LighterLife during lockdown, and also became a Mentor. Now that I’m getting older I want to ward off ill health and any potential obesity-related problems, and LighterLife has helped me overcome the challenges of menopause too.

Not feeling physical hunger was a game changer, as was being able to reflect on what was going on. Why was I feeling hungry when I clearly couldn’t be hungry? It really opened my eyes to what was going on in my mind.

Mentoring and Mindfulness

My first time on LighterLife was in person with a counsellor, and then again for the next two times. After I’d moved away, I still always went to group. Even when there was only telephone counselling available in my area I still did it each week, although it wasn’t as good as it is online via Zoom now.

This time around I’ve been part of a closed 12-week group with my Mentor, Cas, and I join her CBT Mindfulness hot topic sessions every week. Her closed group of clients is so powerful and, as we’ve got to know each other better, so supportive. I feel I want to lose even more weight now.

I still have lightbulb moments now, even after all these years, there’s still so much to learn about ourselves. Attending weekly group sessions is crucial, it’s a non-negotiable for me.

As a LighterLife Mentor myself, I plan my own CBT Mindfulness hot topic group to run after Cas’ group session, so I don’t have to miss hers. I love that I can make my health and wellbeing a priority whilst still supporting my clients at the same time.

Following the plan

At my heaviest, I weighed 90kg, at my lowest I was 62kg. After starting TotalFast again on 18 July 2024, at the time of writing, I weigh 73.5kg. Still a way to go to hit my target, but feeling that it’s possible.

During my first week I actually felt OK. I never suffered from any headaches or feeling yucky. I only felt excited as I knew I’d soon be into ketosis and burning fat. And I usually felt very energetic and slept much better too.

What’s changed for me now that I’ve lost my weight?

I never used to do any exercise before, but now that I’m lighter I go running. Originally I did the Couch to 5K, and even ran the London marathon for a cancer charity when a very dear friend from university was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Not quite sure how I did it, but I did! These days I continue with the Couch to 5K on my treadmill at home or out on the trailways close to home. Every now and then I flirt with the idea of running another longer race – maybe one day…

And I also attend a women’s only gym, weightlifting and resistance training. I’m stronger and fitter than I’d ever thought possible – I’m deadlifting 35kg, which is still a lot less than some of the ladies, but 29kg heavier than the day I first walked into the gym 5 weeks ago. My transformation is in progress.

Shopping is completely different now too, I love it and probably spend too much but it’s so nice to be able to wear things I like and feel happy in. At my heaviest I was a 16-18, now I’m a 10-12

And I’m so much more confident. I would never have started my own business at the weight I was before, I’d have been too self-conscious.

What have I learned?

I’ve learned it’s about consistency. You need to keep connected, stay mindful, and treat the programme like housekeeping. I wouldn’t clean my house once and expect it to stay clean. I might leave it for a couple of weeks but then it’s a harder job, so it’s much easier to do a bit each week. And it’s the same with managing my weight, there’s no head in the sand stuff.

What I’d say to anyone thinking about starting LighterLife.

Do it, but commit fully, and don’t dabble. If you dip in and out you won’t see the programme’s true power and results And for goodness sake, go to group. It’s free and it’s the key. You need to know why you got to the weight you are now. Because if you don’t understand that, and then make the necessary changes, you won’t keep it off longer term.