Rachel's story

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

I decided to lose weight in January 2017, when I topped the scales at just over 14st196lbs88.9kg. Over the past two years, I have lost more than 4st56lbs25.4kg and now weigh 9st 12lbs138lbs62.6kg. At 5ft 4.5 inches tall, my BMI has gone from the obese range to normal. It's taken about two and a half years, but I was keen to lose weight slowly rather than crash diet!

What prompted your decision to lose weight?

In December 2016, I went to the GP about feeling tired all the time. She did a routine blood pressure check and her face was a picture. She took it three times to make sure it was correct, as it was through the roof. On paper, this reading was high enough to warrant admission to hospital, but I was keen to avoid this so she did some tests and was reassured that it was partly due to 'white coat syndrome'. I was started in blood pressure lowering medication straight away. She kindly suggested that I would benefit from some health changes, including losing some weight, also because diabetes runs in the family. The shock of the life-threatening blood pressure reading galvanised me into action.

How did you hear about Nutracheck?

I found it by chance after comparing Apps on my iPhone. Initially I attended a weight loss group and lost a few pounds, but as a vegetarian, I found the food choices restrictive, especially working full-time and often having to eat on the go. Packaged sandwiches were a 'no-no' and I found them difficult to avoid!

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

I've always had a tendency to plumpness, it's a family trait! However, I was quite trim in my teens and 20's due to watching my calorie intake and regular exercise. In my 40's, my weight has gradually crept up again, but I vowed not to be 'Fat at 50'!

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

I love using an App to measure my food intake! Using a calorie counting is a method that I know works, and with modern technology, it's never been easier. I also have an Apple Watch with a fitness tracker, so I can keep an eye on how many calories I'm taking on board versus how many I burn off. It's really simple but has been totally effective! Nutracheck integrates with the Apple Watch and iOS so I can keep records and track my progress which is very motivating. By getting into a daily routine of scanning calorie values using the Nutracheck App, it's been very easy to fit into my lifestyle.

What was the most difficult thing?

It's easy to track restaurant food plus meals started from scratch using the App, so that's pretty straight forward and there's no reason not to record everything you eat. The hardest thing is staying motivated when you have a bad couple of days and go over your allowance... but because the App keeps a weekly tally and also shows how many calories have been burnt off by exercise, it's helpful to get it in perspective and stay on track

How do you feel now compared to before?

Amazing! I have so much more energy, need less sleep and I am so much more confident. I can fit into a size 10 jeans and while size isn't everything, I feel great knowing that I can wear flattering clothes. It's given me an excuse to completely overhaul my wardrobe. It's taken a while to move away from floaty, over size tops, but I'm getting there and I'm receiving loads of compliments especially from people who have not seen me for a while and can't believe how different I look.

Any notable milestones to report?

Initially I aimed for 11st154lbs69.8kg as I read that it was the average weight for women in the UK, and I hadn't been that weight for more than 20 years. But as I reached that goal in September 2018, I decided to go to my normal BMI range, below 10st 6lbs. I'm now happy with my weight, just under 10st140lbs63.5kg, and will use Nutracheck to maintain it!

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

1. You need to get motivated - really 'feel' that losing weight will make a difference. Make a list of all the benefits of losing weight that are personal to you, and think about how you will feel when you reach those goals. Visualisation is a powerful way to help with this, close your eyes and conjure up how you will feel when you reach your goal weight - how do you look? What will you wear? What activities will you be able to do? Who will be proud of you? How will you feel about yourself?
2. Don't weigh in too often! Weight can fluctuate on a daily basis and also at different times of the day. I tended to only weigh in when I knew I'd had a good week, so that could be once a week or sometimes once every three weeks. That way, I would not be demotivated by putting on the odd pound. Always weigh at the same time of day too, and in similar clothing. It's very inspiring to see the pounds drop off on the scales.
3. Find a method that works for you and lets you feel in control. By using Nutracheck, I could keep a daily tally, see how many calories I'd eaten - and burnt off - and then know if I could have a chocolate treat with a cuppa. Also, by calorie counting, nothing is forbidden! So there's no guilt in having a bag of crisps or an ice-cream cornet, and that works for me!