When Else embarked on her journey with The New You Plan 5 months ago, little did she know it would lead to a transformative and life-enhancing experience. Faced with the heavy responsibility of caring for her husband while he recovered from surgery, Else realised that her own health had taken a backseat. Weighed down by the incidental weight gain from stress-eating at the hospital and at the brink of becoming diabetic, she decided it was time for a change.
This is her encouraging story of how adopting a structured diet plan not only helped her lose a remarkable amount of weight but also rejuvenated her health, lifestyle, and outlook on life.
Getting started…
New You: What led to you starting the plan?
Else: In April, when I started the plan, my husband had just come out of hospital after being in for over a month and eventually needing surgery. I was there every day, all day, as his carer. He has multiple health issues. Whilst at the hospital I gained quite a lot of weight in a short time because it was a worrying time and I was eating my feelings. Hospital food didn’t help – coffee shop sandwiches and cakes everyday!
I realised that I needed to take control as I was pre-diabetic and generally feeling tired and lethargic. If I became ill, who would look after my husband? It was time to take back control.
New You: And tell us about that first week…
Else: I saw an advert for The New You Plan on Facebook. I’ve never been a fan of total meal replacement diets but the reviews were so good I decided to give it a try. I ordered the 3 week bundle, which had a heavy discount for new customers. I was excited waiting for my pack to arrive. When I prepared the first meal and saw the portion size, which I thought was minuscule compared to what I’d been eating, I was filled with despair and my first thought was, I’ll never be able to stick to this. But the meal was so tasty and I felt strangely satisfied.
So, I completed my first week much more easily than I thought I would. There is such a lot of variety. Shakes, soups, savoury meals, sweet meals, crisps and snacks, so I didn’t get bored and I found everything really tasty.
And I didn’t feel hungry, I really didn’t, which really surprised me. I was also surprised by my determination to do the full 12 weeks without a blip, even whilst on holiday. I did it!
New You: What are your go-to meals & snacks?
Else: I love them all, but I can’t live without my Crisps. I use them as scoops with my savoury meals. Also, I have a very sweet tooth so I like the sweet meals. I make trifles, which I love. I make jelly with the Water Flavourings and mousse with the Shakes, by adding gelatine. I often use the sweet snacks crushed up on the top. A lovely sweet treat that feels very naughty!
Life changing results…
How would you say the plan has changed your life?
Else: I have lost just over 4 and a half stone in 5 months. My goal is to lose a bit more before Christmas. (No more than half a stone). I’m 73 and feeling happy in my own skin now, but I’ll keep trying to lose for a while longer. Then I can enjoy the festivities without feeling guilty.
Physically, I feel so much better. I can walk uphill without feeling breathless (I have persistent AF, so this was a problem before) and my plantar fasciitis has gone! I was pre-diabetic and now my HbA1c results are in the normal range. I walk the dog everyday and now look forward to it, whereas I hated it before. Mentally, I feel more confident and happy in my own skin. I feel like a normal person rather than an overweight, unhealthy old lady. I feel so much younger, and so much happier. I am proud of myself. I now eat to live rather than living to eat. Food is no longer my main focus in life. I now love shopping for clothes, too!
New You: What has being on plan taught you so far?
Else: Being on plan has taught me that my body doesn’t need half the amount of food I was eating before. Food doesn’t control me any more. When I go out, the focus is on sociability and enjoyment rather than feeling the need to eat all the time. It has also taught me to focus on myself and my needs. Everyone has an opinion on TFR diets. I kept getting told they are bad for you, dangerous for your health etc. I politely told people to let me be and not make an issue of it. I was unfazed by what others were eating. I asked them to grant me the same courtesy. And anyway, I think I have proved them all wrong! Generally, friends and family were supportive once they knew my mind was made up. And those who weren’t – tough!
New You: What are you most looking forward to when you reach your goal?
Else: I’m looking forward to learning how to maintain my weight loss on New You Switch. I have a cupboard full of products and don’t feel daunted at all about using New You Plan forever. The support groups are amazing and there’s one for every stage of the journey.
New You: Any memorable non-scale victories you’d like to share?
Else: Being able to shop anywhere. Dropping from a size 24 to a size 14/16 means I don’t have to search for the bigger sizes everywhere I go. I no longer cringe when I see my reflection in shop windows and the other day, I opened a glass door for a lady coming towards me but there was no-one there. It was my own reflection I had seen and I didn’t recognise myself. That made me chuckle.
New You: What is the nicest compliment you have received since losing weight?
Else: I recently met two friends I hadn’t seen for a while. One of them saw me and waved. The other asked who she was waving at. She told her it was me and she replied: “Oh my God, where’s the rest of her?” Then told me I looked amazing. My daughters have been very supportive and constantly boost my confidence by complimenting my appearance. It feels so good.
New You: If you could go back in time to when you were beginning the plan, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Else: I’d tell myself that I am stronger than I think I am. I’d say make the most of the fantastic support groups to get advice, motivation, support and encouragement as well as wonderful, creative ideas of how to make the packs more interesting. I’d also say make sure you offer support and encouragement to others. The challenges and competitions are there to push you on. The prizes are generous, but the real prize is a new you! The admin team are fantastic. Always there when we need them. Don’t be afraid to contact customer services as they are awesome, too.
Why wasn’t this plan around when I was younger? How I’d have loved to feel then as I feel now.
The New You Plan likes to reward its customers and give a lot back. There are always discounts and sometimes bigger discounts at various times of the year like Bank holidays. I find the plan cheaper than buying my food from the supermarket and it takes away all the hassle!
All I can say is I am so glad I found The New You Plan, because I have found a whole new me! Yay!
Whether you want to lose half a stone or 10 stone*, have a slimmer figure, or are just looking to get maximum nutrition in minimum time, then New You can make the perfect partner to get you to where you want to be.
Join Our £100,000 Giveaway… Make 2024 Your Year of MORE
Our Transformation Challenge is BACK for 2024 & it’s bigger & better than ever!!
Are you ready to make 2024 your healthiest, happiest year yet? This year we launched our biggest ever giveaway, and we’re inviting you to be a part of it. Join us on a journey of self-improvement, community, and incredible rewards.
The Lowdown…
- Enjoy 4 yummy meals a day: Kickstart your health journey with tasty meals that make a real difference.
- Share your story: Got a great update? Post it on social media and in our community. You could win awesome freebies just for sharing your progress!
- Snap & win: Every 2 months, send in your progress photos. You could win a share of £7000. Let’s celebrate your journey together!
- Go for the big prize: Create an amazing transformation and you could grab our top prize of £10,000 in November 2024. It’s all about the wow factor!
Exciting Prizes to be Won
This year, we’re giving away 52K in cash. £7,000 cash will be won every 2 months for our absolute favourite glow-ups! One overall winner will WIN £3000 cash and 4 more customers will each WIN £1000. And the grand finale? An epic £10,000 cash prize for one overall winner! Plus, if you’re a runner-up sharing your story, you’re in for a treat with thousands of pounds worth of awesome products!
Our next Transformation Challenge deadline is 30th June so it’s time to submit your I AM IN photos.
The post A New Beginning: Else’s Inspiring Journey to Losing 4.5 Stone* in 5 Months first appeared on The New You Plan.
The post A New Beginning: Else’s Inspiring Journey to Losing 4.5 Stone* in 5 Months appeared first on The New You Plan.
Aideen
Comments
Post a Comment