I lost almost 100lb with drink made of three supermarket ingredients

Amanda Nkomo had managed to avoid the common pregnancy pitfall of piling on too much weight; but the 32-year-old stay-at-home mum really added the pounds after giving birth – weighing 95kg (209lb) at her heaviest and a size 18. She’s now a svelte size 8.

She initially lost 16kg (35lb) by eating smaller portion sizes – but then, as so often happens, her weight loss plateaued… until she started drinking a shot of apple cider vinegar every day; she’s now down to 52kg (114lb) – a total loss of an astonishing 43kg (95lb).

Here Amanda, who lives in Manchester with her council-worker husband Ehigie Oriakhi, 32, and their children, Gianni, three, and Elijah, one, tells her story. 

Amanda says: A lot of people naturally lose weight after having a baby, but for me it was the complete opposite – I gained it.

I had a C-section with Elijah and at home recovering, with a colicky baby, I got into bad eating habits – I could easily go through a whole pack of biscuits without realising.

Before my second pregnancy I was around a size 14 – weighing between 78kg (172lb) and 84kg (185lb).

During pregnancy I went up to a size 16 but after Elijah was born I was wearing size 18 clothes and weighed 95kg (209lb) at my heaviest in November 2024 (at 5ft 2in, my BMI was approximately 38.3, officially ‘obese’).

I hated being big and also desperately wanted to get in shape for my wedding to Ehigie the following July. My goal was to get to 62kg (137lb), although he was adamant he loved me the way I was.

Weight-loss jabs weren’t an option – as a new mum who was breastfeeding, there just hadn’t been enough research into whether they are safe for babies. They’re also expensive and I didn’t like the sound of the side-effects.

Over the years I’ve tried many different weight-loss programmes, including fad diets, in my quest to be a size 10/12 but none worked long term, writes Amanda Nkomo

I hated being big and also desperately wanted to get in shape for my wedding to Ehigie. My goal was to get to 62kg, although he was adamant he loved me the way I was

Initially I lost weight by reducing my portion sizes – I was eating the same types of food, just in smaller quantities – and cutting out biscuits. In around three months I’d lost 16kg (35lb) and weighed 79kg (174lb).

Then I cut out starchy carbs, including potatoes, bread and pasta. I found it hard-going at first but after a couple of weeks it became easier.

But with five months to go before our wedding, my weight loss plateaued – which was very frustrating.

Over the years I’ve tried many different weight-loss programmes, including fad diets, in my quest to be a size 10/12 but none worked long-term.

Eight years ago I dropped two dresses in a month on a water-fasting diet but I regained all the weight – and more – once I started eating normally again.

I also once tried Slimming World but found there were too many rules to follow.

So when I hit the plateau this time, I decided to try apple cider vinegar: I’d actually tried it a few years earlier to lose a bit of weight (apparently the acetic acid in it helps you feel full and reduces blood sugar spikes that make you feel hungry) but wasn’t keen on the bitter taste.

‘I decided to make my own ginger shots, adding apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper (which contains capsaicin that supposedly helps the body burn more calories due to the heat it produces)’

At the time, my mum had been taking ginger shots for wellbeing but these were expensive so I decided to make my own, adding apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper (which contains capsaicin that supposedly helps the body burn more calories due to the heat it produces).

Combining apple cider vinegar with the ginger made the shots taste much more palatable. After a few weeks, drinking a 60ml shot every morning, I was once again losing weight – the vinegar really helped reduce my appetite and I felt fuller between meals.

I stuck at it, taking one 60ml shot in the morning, then two shots – and just 16 weeks after starting this, reached my goal weight of 62kg (137lb) and a healthy BMI of approximately 25 – just in time for my wedding in early July.

I walked down the aisle wearing a size 10 dress – everyone couldn’t believe how slim I looked.

Although the compliments were amazing, even better was just feeling confident, happy and comfortable in myself, especially being photographed.

I relaxed a bit after the wedding and stopped making the shots – but noticed the weight crept back up to 67kg (148lb) after two months. I’d also slipped back into old unhealthy eating habits – and realised I needed to learn how to maintain my weight-loss long term.

So I started taking the shots again – and to my astonishment my weight dropped yet further, eventually settling at around 52-53kg (117lb).

At one point I was actually losing more than I wanted to – and family and friends started asking if I was using Ozempic.

I’ve now found a good balance and maintain my weight between 53-55kg, by eating healthily and not overindulging. I wear a dress size 8 and feel much more in control.

I still take the shots most days – and always during my period, when my appetite tends to increase.

As a busy mum-of-two, I don’t have the time for the gym, so incorporate realistic activity into my day, walking to pick up my daughter from school and using weights at home whenever I can.

I’ve since started building a wellness brand selling Zing-Fit ginger shots, encouraging women to try incorporating apple cider vinegar into their diet, and have a group of women drinking them, including family and friends, who are seeing results too. Their response has been really positive.

Ehigie has also started drinking apple cider vinegar and has also seen a noticeable difference.

He was 132kg (291lb), 6ft 3in and lost around 32kg (71lb) for the wedding. He regained some weight – 12kg (26lb) – but has now lost around 5kg (11lb) again after taking the shots.

It’s become a shared journey for us – we motivate each other and there’s nothing like a bit of friendly competition!

For me, apple cider vinegar wasn’t a magic fix on its own – changing my diet was also vital, but it gave me extra support when I felt stuck.

There may not be reliable evidence to show it aids weight loss – but it certainly worked for me.

Interview by Julia Sidwell