William's story

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

I have lost 7st 12lbs111lbs48.7kg over a period of 3 years and 2 months. My starting weight was 19st 5lbs271lbs122kg, and my weight is now 11st 7lbs161lbs73.3kg, and I am now a healthy BMI. My weight and BMI is continuing to fall.

What prompted your decision to lose weight?

Whilst looking back through photos of me taken on a family holiday, the penny dropped that my own self-understanding of how my body looked was vastly out of touch with how it appeared in reality. Disbelief ensued - I couldn't believe the person standing in these photos was me. I knew I had to act. However, it wasn't until a few years later when visiting a physiotherapist who told me that to alleviate ongoing muscular pain, it would be a good idea to lose weight that I actually took action - the first step being downloading Nutracheck.

How did you hear about Nutracheck?

Nutracheck was the first result when searching for calorie counter apps on Google. I clicked on the link and signed up for an initial free trial. After 3 years on, I've never looked back, and have renewed my subscription for another consecutive year.

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

Not being the sporty type, I had always been slightly overweight, but wasn't overly concerned. However, it was whilst at university, that my weight dramatically increased year-on-year. With all my focus on my studies, I paid little attention to the red-yellow-green colour coded nutritional information on packets. Growing up in a household where 'no one ever went hungry', I also had no personal awareness of what a single portion size looked like. For example I would often eat half a bag of pasta or a whole bag of 20 chicken nuggets in a single meal, followed by one or even two supermarket bakery cookies or doughnuts. By the end of university my BMI was 39.7 – just 0.3 points off from being severely obese. Looking back this was rather terrifying.

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

Fairly easy. Once you begin calorie count for several weeks, you have a gut feeling of what's suitable and what's totally off limits, and also what a healthy portion size is.

What was the most difficult thing about your weight-loss journey?

Because I continue to experience various health problems, I can sometimes turn to eating several items of unhealthy food in short succession as an escape. As I have a policy of logging everything, this can put me behind my weekly target and is de-motivating. Also, weighing myself the first time after a few weeks of closely following my calorie targets and finding that I've not lost any weight or even put a bit on, is enraging.

How do you feel now compared to before?

I feel that my self-esteem has improved and I feel more comfortable in my own body. This in turn is positively affecting how I come across to others. I also no longer feel constantly hot and sweaty as I did before, and don't constantly need to have a fan on in order to feel comfortable. Family members and a medical professional have commented that my whole facial structure has dramatically improved.Speaking personally, there are now moments, where I look at myself in the mirror and think to myself: 'whose that handsome young man looking back at me with those sparkly eyes'?

Any notable milestones to report?

Being able to comfortably fit into 'L' size clothing, whereas I had previously only been able to fit into 3XL or 4XL clothing previously. Also being able to go to a shop and be able to purchase clothing straight from the rail is enormously beneficial. Further, the focus on only being able to eat within my weekly calorie and nutrient limits has paradoxically kick started a much more curious and healthier attitude towards food. Being on the lookout for new recipes and food items to try out is now a highly enjoyable part of my weekly routine.

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

1. If you need something sweet, have an Options hot chocolate. Its only 40 calories and has a surprisingly high impact.
2. Weigh and measure everything - sauces, drinks, side dishes, takeaways and meals out, the oil you fry in. You’ll be surprised how easily the calories can add up.
3. If you save up enough surplus calories on the previous 6 days, you can usually eat whatever you want to on your 7th, which can be your treat day.