Leigh's story

How much weight have you lost and how long did it take?

I have lost 5st 7lbs77lbs34.9kg so far. I want to reach a 6st loss and hover around 9st for the rest of my life. I have lost all of my weight with Nutracheck. I love the layout of the app and find everything on it super useful. I use the app every day. It took 11 months for me to lose 5st70lbs31.8kg. For my last stone, I'm taking my time as there's no rush. I started at 15st 2lbs212lbs96.2kg, although my Nutracheck journey started at 14st 10lbs206lbs93.4kg, and I'm now 9st 3lbs129lbs58.5kg.

What prompted your decision to lose weight?

I wanted to lose weight as I was heading for size 22 in my clothes. I have never been overweight before, and I've previously always been quite slim and worn size 8-10 clothes most of my life until I had my two beautiful children. I just piled on weight, and one day I looked in the mirror and thought something had to change. I was getting spinal injections and I had severe sciatica in my lower back, and I could not continue this way. I had no confidence and would hide under baggy and black clothes as I was embarrassed about how I had gotten to the size I did.

How did you hear about Nutracheck?

I had done a lot of research before starting to lose weight and thought calorie counting would be ideal for me because it would help me learn about nutrition and understand how many calories were in everything. I realised that I was consuming around 5000, if not more, calories a day from mostly boredom snacking on my previous diet. I was also not drinking anything, so most of the time my body was telling me I was thirsty. I looked through some apps on the App Store and then saw the amazing reviews about Nutracheck, so I thought I'd give it a try. It's the best decision I ever made.

Has your weight stayed fairly consistent over the years, or have you always had to manage it?

I've always been quite slim all my life so it was out of the ordinary for me to be any bigger than this. I knew I had to get back to how I used to be and regain my confidence and self-esteem.

Have you experienced any health improvements?

I was a couch potato with zero energy and continuously tired, with severe lower back pain. Now I'm 100% pain-free. I bought a treadmill from the Facebook Marketplace, and I had doubts I'd use it. I received comments that it wouldn't last long, which gave me the kick up the backside. I spent 1 hour a day on it as it was hard to get out for walks with two kids some days. That progressed into me getting fitter, and I often go hiking. I completed a 26-mile hike for Macmillan last year when I was halfway through my journey and finished in an amazing time and place. I am doing it again this year.

How easy was it to fit the changes you made into your lifestyle?

It was so easy to fit the changes into my lifestyle. If you buy smaller, portion-controlled packets, you are less likely to open another one.

What was the most difficult thing about your weight-loss journey?

You do have days off when you feel rubbish, and that's okay because we're all human. Sometimes you want a nice takeaway on a Saturday night with your family, and you panic about calories. But if you're consistent enough with calories throughout the week, you can enjoy the things you love.

How do you feel now compared to before?

I feel like a new woman. My confidence is shining through once again, which has been a long time coming. I used to avoid it before, often wearing the same three outfits. But now I can't wait to go clothes shopping and wear bright colours. I have some style back, which feels amazing.

Any notable milestones to report?

The 1st milestone was amazing as it made me realise wow this works, and I need to continue and see how I change. When I weighed myself on Christmas Eve 2023, I found out I had lost 5st. I cried. This was the best Christmas present to myself, and I danced around with excitement. I could see how proud my husband Andrew was of me. Also, another massive milestone was fitting into my wedding dress again, and it was too big when I was halfway through my journey. I cried and danced with amazement.

What 3 tips would you give to anyone who has weight to lose?

1. Try a high-protein diet.
2. Don't cut things out of your diet; eat the foods you love every day. You don't have to eat lettuce 24/7 to lose weight. It doesn't have to feel like a 'diet' - it's a lifelong change.
3. Drink eight glasses of water a day.

Anyone can do it. It's all in your mindset.