I was always someone who over-indulged, drinking on a night out and eating takeaways. I’m a 47-year-old mum from Hertfordshire, but I’m only now learning food was tied to my emotions – if I was happy, I celebrated with it; if I was unhappy, I overindulged.
I have a high-level career as a talent and workforce transformation leader and tried all the typical diets, like low-fat plans and calorie-counting, but nothing worked. By January 2025, I was dangerously overweight for my height – at 5ft, I weighed 14 stone and was a size 18.
I remember thinking, ‘If I don’t sort this out now, I don’t know what will happen to me’. Some of my friends and family were on weight-loss medication, so I signed up to Second Nature, which is backed by the NHS, and paid for Mounjaro injections. They worked straight away – I dropped three pounds in the first week, and six months later I had lost five stone and was a size 10.
I went into it thinking I’d need to be on the injections for life, because I’ve always struggled with my weight. But because I stayed on a low dose, after six months I began to feel the hunger noises coming back – and this time it wasn’t a problem. I had changed my lifestyle so much – from my diet, to portion size and exercise – I found I could manage the cravings myself.
So, I thought, ‘I’m doing this on my own, I don’t need it any more’. I stopped the jabs last August and, since then, I’ve dropped another dress size and am now a size eight, mainly through turning remaining fat into muscle by exercising.
Everything has changed: I’ve discovered a love of fashion – I used to buy all my clothes online because I never felt comfortable going into shops. It has been a huge shift for me in terms of confidence. Weight-loss injections can be a game-changer, but you also have to commit to altering your approach to food and exercise.
Here’s how I did it – and how you can, too…
Commit to change
If you are overweight and unhappy, the first thing you’ve got to do is own it. I realised this wasn’t just about losing weight, it was about understanding the science of my body and my long-standing relationship with food. When you sign up to Second Nature, you get an app, menu suggestions and daily health information. You also get a health coach via live chat. I began to get quite knowledgeable about diet and health and realised I had to commit to changing my habits for ever.
Realise it’s not ‘all or nothing’
Previously, I was someone who goes all in for something, until I slipped, then stopped. Second Nature taught me, ‘Something is always better than nothing’. This helped me with eating and exercising, as a slip didn’t mean I was back to square one.
Step away from the carb-loading
My old diet was ‘typically British’: full of sugary cereals, sandwiches and large portions of pasta or fish and chips. Snacks were my weak spot – I had a real obsession with Ritz crackers. Now I eat porridge with banana, cinnamon and collagen for breakfast; halloumi, chicken or tuna salad for lunch; and a dinner of fish, chicken or stir–fries, with red meat twice a week.
My plate is 50 per cent vegetables, 35-40 per cent protein and 10-15 per cent carbs. I don’t touch sugary carbs or white wheat and the only bread I’ll eat is wholemeal sourdough, once a week. For snacks, I pair fruit with protein, such as cheese and a handful of nuts, which slows blood sugar spikes. I haven’t touched Ritz crackers in a year.
Swap plates for bowls
The average dinner plate is way too big, so I swapped mine for small pasta bowls to regulate my portion size. As long as I know 50 per cent of my plate is veg, then whatever else I have on the other 50 per cent is not going to be too dreadful.
Give yourself beatable goals
I set my Fitbit to a realistic goal, such as three exercise days a week and 6,000 steps. I then consistently exceed it – that mental trick of setting achievable targets has been really powerful. Before I lost weight, I thought I needed to do lots of cardio, but I learned that, as a woman over 40, it’s all about weights. I work out six days a week, doing a mix of weight-training, power yoga, pilates, 5K runs and BodyPump (a barbell-focused workout). I feel strong, with visible muscle definition, and the weight-training has helped with loose skin from the weight loss.
Track your sleep
I fought against my health coach for ages on this, but finally gave in and now I don’t have any caffeine after midday, because I learned about the importance of sleep for weight loss. I use my Fitbit to track my sleep and heart rate.
Clean your teeth after dinner
Another tactic is to clean my teeth after my evening meal. No one wants to eat anything after they’ve cleaned their teeth, so it tricks your brain into thinking, ‘I’m done for the day’ and stops those late-night snacks.
Rewire your thinking about food
Before Mounjaro, I used to get cramps and bloating after eating. But as the weight started dropping, I noticed they went away. I do indulge, but a chocolate bar or packet of crisps never tastes as good as you think it will, so you have to learn to trust your body over the noise your brain throws at you. I’ve rewired my thinking about food – it’s not about weight, it’s about how the food will make me feel, such as causing poor sleep or headaches. I’m just not willing to go through that any more.
As told to Kerry Parnell
