Woman lost 14.5 stone with no calorie counting after 'delaying not denying' food

A Scottish woman who lost over half her body weight has credited small, simple changes for a massive transformation in her life. Karen Heffernan, who lives just outside Glasgow, decided to take action after what she described as 'a bit of a health scare and a bit of a difficult conversation with a surgeon.'

Rather than counting calories, she turned to a fitness app to help her make a series of small, incremental changes. Over around 18 months these changes helped her shed 14 and a half stone (94kg), which worked out at more than half of her starting weight of 26 and a half stone.

She says she's now physically and mentally the fittest and strongest she's ever been, adding: "I can't believe it's actually been so simple. I've not felt deprived along the way, my motto just now is 'delay don't deny.' You can have the treats, you have the yin and the yang, you build things up. This isn't through surgery, it's not through medication or any of that, some vitamins along the way, yes, but good food, good exercise, good sleep and motivation to keep you going along the way."

Having lost so much weight has made a huge difference in Karen's life, giving her more energy and making her more active, but she says it's often the small things that have the biggest impact: "It's little things like going out for a meal and not having to worry about where you're sitting or going on an aeroplane and not worrying, if you're in the middle seat, about encroaching on anyone else."

Despite the remarkable weight loss, Karen doesn't struggle with loose skin, thanks to intermittent fasting. Not only did it facilitate a healthier weight loss journey, but research from Cambridge University also suggests that it possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which plays a role in skin renewal and elasticity.

Fitness and wellbeing apps have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, particularly during the pandemic as people sought to maintain their fitness during lockdown. From meal tracking apps like MyFitnessPal and LoseIt to digital workout programmes like Hevy, there are now lots of options that to keep close by in a pocket or handbag, reports the Mirror.

The Simple app combines various elements from many of these apps into one, offering fitness options that range from strength training and cardio to chair yoga, along with a variety of other high-tech tools. It features NutriScanner, which can track the nutritional value of meals simply by using a photo, and an intermittent fasting tracker for those wanting to switch calorie counting for the popular method, also used in Michael Mosley's 16:8 plan that aims to boost metabolism by adjusting meal timings.

Additionally, Simple includes an AI-powered assistant, Avo, which can provide advice and answer questions throughout the journey. Currently, the Simple app is offering a 60% discount for all new signups when users use the code REACH60 at checkout.

After sign up, individuals will be asked to complete an online questionnaire about their diet and exercise goals and preferences. This information is then used to create a fully customised plan based on the individual's needs and schedule.

Karen shared her experience: "I started small, I found the intermittent fasting lifestyle, did a lot of research and I gradually built things up. Simple was a great way to track the fasts that I was doing and gives you tips along the way. I also introduced Avo, which was great in giving you some tips for health and nutrition and making recipes."

She had one top tip for anyone starting out: "Just keep going. Guilt? Get it out the window. There's always the next day where you can start again and get on the journey.

"Exercise is really important. Now I do core stability, I'm doing pilates and you can't stop me from walking. I take the family on little walks after a meal."

Karen is among more than 17 million users worldwide who have turned to the Simple app for help with their healtth and fitness. Simple has provided compensation to Karen for her genuine testimonial. Obviously, results may vary and consultation with a healthcare professional is always advised before making any major lifestyle changes.

The Simple Life App boasts an impressive average rating of 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with over 28,000 reviews. A recent five-star review expressed high satisfaction, said: "Love this app. It's teaching me how to make eating healthy and being active a lifestyle that I can continue on my own.

"Love the workouts that I can adjust from low to high depending on my time and energy. Logging food and water is easy, as well as using their AI to get recipes from a list that I have in my pantry and fridge to scanning menus at restaurants to help me choose the best option."

Another user said they valued the app for the motivation it offered, adding: "The coach is helpful. Also, when I fall off track the coach doesn't make me feel like I failed the day. It is very encouraging and helps keep me motivated and focused."

Not all feedback was glowing, however, with a three-star reviewer pointing out a downside: "I feel tied to my phone. It's not good for me."

Yet, for another individual, the app's convenience was a highlight, with them describing it as 'one of the best weight loss and lifestyle apps I've ever used,' adding: "It's the best culmination of evidence based strategies (fasting, Mediterranean diet, mindfulness, etc) plus the power of AI, which is like having a personal health coach or therapist in your pocket. Also, I love that tracking is so easy and more focused on the quality of food choices vs cumbersome portion size and nutrition tracking like programs of the past."

The Simple app, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms, is currently offering a 60% discount. Customers can claim this by using the code REACH60 at checkout.