Tracey's story

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

I've lost 6st 9lbs93lbs42.2kg. It has taken me 17 months.

What prompted your decision to lose weight?

I have severe arthritis & depression. I had gained a lot of weight and had started getting poorly all the time and I knew I really wasn't helping myself. I knew if I could get back to a healthy weight, it would reduce the pressure on my joints.

How did you hear about Nutracheck?

I was scrolling through Instagram and saw an advertisement for the Nutracheck app. I'd been having issues with another calorie counting app so I decided to take a look. It looked great and I got a free trial week to see what I thought. I signed up after just 2 days because I loved it so much.

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

I've always had to manage my weight really and I've always loved tracking calories and macros. It helps keep me focused and I still enjoy it during maintenance.

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

I did find it quite easy to fit the changes into my lifestyle. I'm lucky because I love fruit and vegetables so I bulk up on them. I love the freedom of calorie counting – it lets you incorporate treats like a bag of crisps or some low calorie ice cream. I've had them all through my journey if I fancy them. If they fit with my calories and macros then I have them and that freedom has made my journey really enjoyable.

What was the most difficult thing?

The most difficult thing for me was to stop the risk of getting obsessed with the scales. I tend to be quite impatient and want things fast, but due to my disability and illnesses I take a lot of medication which I knew could mess with my losses. So on day one of calorie counting, I decided to only weigh in and do my measurements once a month and that was hard at first, but it really has helped me so much. I had 2 months of my journey where I maintained weight but I lost inches, so that kept me going.

How do you feel now compared to before?

I feel so much better now. Unfortunately it has not helped my joint pain to the extent I was hoping, but mentally it has helped my confidence so much. I feel so proud of myself that I've actually been able to achieve my losses without the gym. It has also given me something to focus on everyday which has helped so much. I was very embarrassed of the way I looked before, now I feel like I look OK when I can hide my surgery scars.

Any notable milestones to report?

My most notable milestone has been getting back into all my size 10 clothes. It was such a great feeling putting them on again for the first time and it still makes me smile everyday knowing I can pull anything out and it will fit. My daughters took me shopping and kept telling me to buy the extra small pyjamas. I was convinced they wouldn't fit, but when I got home, the small was too big!

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

1. Take things one day at a time – don't try to jump too far ahead. In the beginning I found the thought of having 90lbs to lose so daunting, it seemed such an impossible task. So I decided to focus on one day at a time, just made sure I ate healthy and got enough fruit and veg and stayed within my allowance. That way I went to bed at night smiling that I'd achieved my goals for the day. This really made the whole thing less daunting.
2. Don't be too hard on yourself. We all mess up and make a mistake, the odd treat or extra few calories isn't the end of the world. Use the Nutracheck App to track and you can make up a few extra calories over the week with no overall damage to your goals. Think of it as a new healthy lifestyle so there's actually no end date – we are just setting new goals and a healthy way of eating for life.
3. Enjoy the process. It can be a long journey if you have a lot to lose so enjoy it. You can still eat out or enjoy a family barbecue or party - this is when the App comes in so useful. You can add party food and drinks and still stay in control. Remember life still goes on while we are on this journey so we have to enjoy it too.