www.lighterlife.com

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO

A WHOLE nEW yOu

7 inspiring, real-life stories inside

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Welcome! are you fed up with taking the same old steps – starting a

diet in January and putting the weight back on in february? i’ve been there. i’m not an editor or a model. like you, i’m an ordinary person and i was once a size 22. lighterlife

not only helped me lose weight, it changed how i think about food.

What i’ve learnt has helped me keep the weight off for over two years. read on to find out how other people have changed their lives

with lighterlife.Here’s to the new,

healthier you!

❝

❞Claire liddiard, 41, lives in Newbury, Berks, with her partner, Barry. She joined lighterlife in January 2008, and has been maintaining her size 10 figure for over two years.

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Claire

Before I began my LighterLife journey I had the perfect

excuse to overeat. I’d started up a little baking business from home after having my two children, Jade, now five and Jett, three. I took great pride in creating beautiful cakes and was forever

tasting the goods and licking the spoon clean. I knew I shouldn’t be tucking in because I was a size 22. I’d been in a cycle of dieting with little success, and it was exhausting.

Baker’s delightthe catalyst for joining

LighterLife came in the summer of 2009. i’d joined a local community dance group for women called the Geoff

Bailey Dancers. When i realised we were being lined up to do a series of public performances around town, i was horrified. i thought i’d look so ungainly on the public stage. i worked out that if i joined LighterLife total (which combines four LighterLife Foodpacks a day with 90 minutes of weekly group counselling), i’d get into a size 12 dance costume in a matter of months. that

was it – my light-bulb moment! My husband chris was really supportive of the idea.

group supportto my mind, what makes LighterLife unique is the support. My LighterLife

Weight-Management counsellor and group helped me look at the underlying reasons why i’d overeat – to cope with stress or worry, for instance. it was so enlightening.

initially, i was a bit worried about how i’d adjust to swapping conventional meals for four Foodpacks a day, but within about three days my hunger was hardly noticeable and i felt so energetic. the weight just dropped off and i went from a size 22 to a 10 in five months. it was amazing.

thanks to what i’ve achieved with LighterLife, life has just opened up to me in so many ways. i feel beautiful, confident and i’m quite the exhibitionist these days. the children have noticed the change in me, too.

the other day, Jade was looking at an old photo of me wearing baggy clothes. She said, ‘is that you, Mummy?’ i said, ‘yes, of course, darling.’ She frowned and said, ‘you’ve got a big tummy! and why are you wearing Daddy’s clothes?’ i had to laugh at that.

i want them to grow up with a happy, healthy mummy, so i fully intend to stay in shape. n

amazing

diaNe MiChelSoN, 36, lives in Cambridge, with husband, Chris, and her two children: Jade, five, and Jett, three. She works from home as a baker and has maintained her weight for over a year.

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my new life feels

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diane Michelson had tried diet after diet but couldn’t shift the weight from her size 22 figure. Then the vivacious mum-of-two discovered lighterlife and changed her relationship with food. a year on, diane shares her story...

amazing

❝ life has just opened up to me in so many ways❞ph

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togetherwe did itwhy did you sign up to lighterlife?Brian: i’d settled into the classic middle-aged blokes’ uniform of comfort. i was eating rubbish – lots of processed and junk food. i was wearing XXXL t-shirts and jogging pants and wanted to change.margaret: Brian signed up to LighterLife first and i saw how rapidly he lost weight and how good he was looking. i’d been uncomfortable with my weight for a while. Shopping was a nightmare.

i didn’t want to try on larger clothes – so i just didn’t shop!

what makes lighterlife unique?m: the group work is what makes it such a good plan for long-term weight management. My LighterLife Weight-Management counsellor was really supportive. i knew that if i had any worries, i could contact her at any time and she’d be there for me to talk to.B: For me, the great thing about LighterLife is that it’s not just about losing weight quickly – it’s about changing your attitude to food and your eating behaviours and lifestyle in the long-term. Before, i used to eat all the time, even if i wasn’t hungry, and i had a really unhealthy diet. now i’m really conscious about what i eat. i cook my meals from scratch using fresh ingredients. i always check food labels before i buy things to ensure they’re not full of fat.

how has your health Benefited?B: i’ve always been fit and active, but now i have so much more energy. i can run faster and for longer, and i’m less prone to injuries. My blood pressure is lower and i no longer suffer from indigestion. m: i’ve never felt better. Since losing

BriaN, 53, aNd MargareT BolleN, 55, live in Milton Keynes and have been married for 33 years. They enjoy running and doing cryptic crosswords together.

When Brian Bollen lost weight with lighterlife, his wife Margaret was inspired to do the same. Five years on, they’re still maintaining their healthy weight…

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brian lost

8 inchesfrom his waist in

2 months

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together

We’ve kept the weight off for over five years and feel reborn!

❝

❞

weight, i’ve taken up running and even won a half marathon! it was the first competitive race i’d done and i won my age group. i couldn’t believe it.

how has your life improved sinCe lighterlife?m: now that i’m a size 10 i can shop easily for clothes and buy the things i like, rather than things that fit. i’m also much more confident in my own abilities. i do public speaking now, which i’d never have dreamed of trying before.B: Since losing weight i feel reborn. i’m healthier and fitter than i’ve ever been. i even think i look better than i have before – even better than i did at 21 – and i think Margaret would agree! n

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my doctor said she had a male patient

who’d lost weight on lighterlife and he

was doing really well

❝

❞

Kerry CooKe, 35, lives in Sutton, Surrey. She works as a nanny and enjoys kickboxing and going to the gym in her spare time.

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my trigger for joining LighterLife was when

I found myself trying on a pair of size 22 trousers for a friend’s wedding. I’d been a size 20 for some time but suddenly it was a struggle to wear the next size up.

My mother, who was with me in the changing room, said: ‘kerry, they’re pulling at the seams, they’re too tight.’ until then i’d known i was overweight but had been in denial about how much.

i have been told i have an over-active thyroid, which, ironically, should make me more prone to losing weight, but actually i was putting on weight. However, that didn’t stop me telling people that my size was because of my thyroid!

doCtor’s suggestionit was my Gp who recommended LighterLife. She said it was a really good programme and, thanks to her enthusiasm, i thought it must be safe and definitely worth a go. My doctor said she had a male patient who’d lost weight on LighterLife and he was still doing really well.

once i started LighterLife the weight just dropped off. people ask me if it was hard and i have to say it was easier than i thought.

i went from a size 22 to a 10 in five months. During that time, i’d pop in to see my doctor and get my blood pressure checked and she was just blown away by my weight loss. i had lots more energy and started doing more exercise, which i loved. i even discovered a passion for kickboxing, which gives me the most incredible high and helps keep me in shape.

i’ve been a size 10 now for over eight months and i’m finding

it easy enough to stay on track. i haven’t been to my doctor for a while but she saw my mother recently and wanted to know how i was doing. My mother told her i was maintaining my weight and she was thrilled. i’m sure she’ll be recommending the programme to more of her patients. needless to say, i’m really grateful to her for recommending LighterLife. Her advice was invaluable. n

❞

Kerry Cooke blamed her obesity on a thyroid problem. Then her gP suggested she try lighterlife. Kerry quickly lost weight and she’s been a healthy size 10 for over eight months now…

the health benefits of lighterlife: Prof iain broomas a metabolic physician i have years of experience dealing with obese patients, and know exactly how diets work, in medical terms. During the eighties i set up a clinic where i’d review morbidly obese patients for their suitability for weight-loss surgery. i’d also put them on special diets, which

were often so effective they didn’t need the surgery after all. recently, i set up a one-year study comparing LighterLife clients with patients on two standard diets. the LighterLife group lost over double the amount of the other two groups and there were immediate health benefits. the LighterLife patients had lower cholesterol levels and their overall health was vastly improved. patients also benefited from LighterLife’s group work which helped them change the way they think about food. the ongoing support they receive means they’re more likely to keep the weight off long-term.Read more on the last page.

doctor orderedjust what the

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❝ i used to eat

because i was bored or the clock

said it was time for a snack. now i eat when i’m hungry

❞

When Sandra Kirby, 39, joined LighterLife ten years ago, she

was desperate to change. ‘All through my life my weight had been an issue,’ she says.

She often battled tears as people made cruel remarks about her size. She reveals, ‘i’ve been called a fat slob and someone once said to me: “you don’t need to eat any more – you’ve got enough fat on your body!” it was horrible.’

Sandra joined LighterLife in May 2000 after her doctor expressed concerns for her health. She has a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure.

‘i felt shy, reclusive and old before my time,’ says Sandra. ‘the group support and counselling that LighterLife offers convinced me i’d come to the right place.’

a fresh startSandra joined her local LighterLife group and within five months she’d gone from a size 24 to a 10. She felt better than ever.

‘i can’t begin to explain how much LighterLife inspired me,’ says Sandra. ‘i’d been ageing before my time – wearing frumpy clothes and avoiding nights out with friends. But i soon discovered a love of exercise and healthy eating.’

after losing weight Sandra felt so inspired that she quit her job as a hairdresser and became an aerobics instructor. She also studied nutrition.

healthy living ‘LighterLife helped me find the ambition to live my life,’ says Sandra.

‘i used to eat because i was bored or the clock said it was time for a snack. nowadays i eat when i’m hungry.

‘a decade on, i’m still a size 10. i’m proof that LighterLife not only helps people to lose weight but keep it off too. you’re given tools to help you stay slim for ever.' n

SaNdra KirBy, 39, lives in leyton, london, with her children, Joshua, 15, and anika, seven. She works as an aerobics instructor and promotes the benefits of healthy living.

i’ve kept the weight off for

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Sandra Kirby was totally lacking in confidence when she joined lighterlife. She’d been overweight practically all her life and felt old before her time…

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❝ i started to set goals, something i’d not done before

❞chris

g rowing up, I was always quite stocky but I had that youthful

confidence. I played a lot of rugby, which meant I could use my solid frame to my advantage, barging other players out of my way.

over the years, a lot of women may have been put off by my size but i had one or two relationships along the way. to be honest, i value my freedom anyway. i work in a construction company and i often have a laugh at colleagues who come in on Monday mornings complaining about how they’ve been bossed about all weekend by their wives!

too fat to fitMy moment of truth came when i was at an amusement park. i was excited about going on all the rides but found i was too fat to fit into them. it was mortifying. that was a bit of a wake-up call and i was determined to lose weight. i weighed 27 stone and managed to shed 3 stone over 12 months by cutting down on kebabs, takeaways and my weekend drinking sessions. i also swam five nights a week. But it wasn’t long before the weight piled back on.

i needed something radical to happen so that i could stop eating so much and change my habits long-term. My motivation for joining LighterLife was seeing how my mate Matt was doing on the programme. He lost 22 inches from his waist in no time at all.

i liked my men’s group, we all really got on and it was good to talk about things with other blokes who probably wouldn’t normally have had the opportunity to be so open. My LighterLife Weight-Management counsellor also helped me work

towards goals, something i’d not really done before. i’m already a keen diver, but i’ve always wanted to do a skydive and i knew i was too heavy to qualify for one. now, that dream is set to become a reality.

My tastebuds have changed since doing LighterLife, too. i eat far less stodge. i’ve started to teach myself to cook using LighterLife Lite recipes and other recipe books.

i’ve also lost the urge to binge-drink at weekends – that’s certainly a change for the better. i’m chuffed i’ve reached my goal weight and i’m getting the right kind of attention for once. n

ChriS huNTer, 29, lives in leigh, lancashire. he works in the construction industry. he’s also a keen diving fan.

Chris lost

19 inchesfrom his waist in

9 months new man!

Chris hunter signed up to lighterlife when he found himself too fat to fit into a rollercoaster ride. Now he’s slim, superfit, and has been maintaining his weight for over six months…

i’m a

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❝ something radical needed to happen

so i could stop eating so much and change my

habits long-term

❞

here, Professor iain Broom, a world-renowned authority on obesity

and weight loss, explains why he recommends lighterlife…

tHe medical evidence:

fast weight loss that’s safe, simple

and sustainable

WhAt experIence do you hAve WorKIng WIth vLcdS (very-LoW-cALorIe dIetS)?i’m a metabolic physician so i look after problems with patients’ body chemistry, diabetes, cholesterol problems and so on. Metabolic physicians also look after patients who have had major surgery and get serious disturbances in their body chemistry.

hoW dId you get InvoLved In LIghterLIfe?i was giving a lecture at the nHS university in Buckinghamshire, about how ketogenic (low-carbohydrate) diets are a useful way of dealing with obesity. the LighterLife Directors approached me afterwards and asked me if i’d be interested in working with LighterLife. they, quite rightly, place great importance on LighterLife’s medical credentials.

hoW doeS LIghterLIfe WorK? LighterLife combines a very-low-calorie diet consisting of nutritionally complete, food-replacement Foodpacks with weekly 90-minute groups. your daily Foodpacks include shakes, bars, soups, chilli and porridge. they include all your daily nutritional requirements and are only around 140 kcal each, which means you lose weight fast. if you have between one and three stone to lose you can join LighterLife Lite, where you choose three Foodpacks each day plus a healthy meal. people with more than three stone to lose can join LighterLife total and choose four Foodpacks each day.

WhAt SetS LIghterLIfe ApArt?LighterLife is unique because of its psychological group work. your LighterLife Weight-Management counsellor will support you and help you explore the reasons why you overeat, so you can change the way you look and feel long-term. you’ll learn why you may overeat even when you’re not hungry – to cope with stress, boredom and other feelings.

MAny peopLe on LIghterLIfe totAL SAy they don’t feeL hungry After the fIrSt feW dAyS And, In fAct,

hAve More energy. Why IS thAt?Humans have evolved in such a way that we’re actually designed to survive well in times of feast and famine. on a VLcD we switch to using fat as our main fuel source and become ketotic. it’s an inbuilt evolutionary advantage to be able to do this and keeps hunger at bay.

Why do SoMe peopLe regAIn WeIght they’ve LoSt After doIng A WeIght-LoSS progrAMMe?if you go back to eating and doing what you did before you lost weight, you will go back to weighing the same. Lots of people make the mistake of overeating, as they had always done, once they finish a VLcD. to keep the weight off long-term, it’s important to change the way you think about food, and that’s what LighterLife gives you the opportunity to do.

For instance, women typically lose weight quickly on LighterLife but not everyone will develop a core understanding of their relationship with food at the same pace. However, if you’re committed to the LighterLife group work, you will learn the skills and tools you need to keep the weight off.

It’S been SAId the nhS couLd SAve over £1bn by provIdIng More bArIAtrIc (WeIght-LoSS) Surgery to obeSe peopLe becAuSe they’d be heALthIer. WhAt do you thInK?there’s no way the nHS can cope with an increase in bariatric surgery. it’s much more cost-effective to put patients on to a VLcD than it is to put them on a waiting list for bariatric surgery. if you put patients in line for bariatric surgery on to a VLcD in the interim, you’ll often find that they’ll lose the weight and elect not to have the bariatric surgery in the end.

the results of patients who fully complete the LighterLife total programme are exactly the same as you’d expect from those who have bariatric surgery, so LighterLife should always be used before sending a patient for bariatric surgery.

iaiN BrooM is a Professor in Clinical Biochemistry at robert gordon university, and Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the university of aberdeen

❝ it’s important to

change the way you think if you want to keep the weight off

long-term

❞

‘before I joined LighterLife I hated myself. I was addicted to food – I was always eating

in secret. the programme helped me change my life

and I really enjoyed my all-men’s group. now I’m

slim, fit and healthy and I love it! If I can do it, anyone can.’

george, SHropSHire

‘My LighterLife group was fantastic. all of us bonded and soon we were exercising together – walking two or three times a week. We also set up our own blog, where we could swap stories and chart our weight-management journeys.’gAIL, LonDon

KAte, GateSHeaD

‘I’m wearing outfits now that I would never have dreamed

of wearing before’ debbIe, cornWaLL

wanted ‘I’ve become the person I always

to be’

free lighterlife reCipe Book for every new memBernew members who sign up to LighterLife before 28 February 2011 will receive a free Living Lighter recipe book worth £14 – full of delicious, healthy meal ideas. name: ..........................................................................................................address: .......................................................................................................postcode: .....................................................................................................tel: ..............................................................................................................to claim your copy, cut out this coupon and hand it to your LighterLife Weight-Management counsellor when you join LighterLife.

Visit lighterlife.com or call 0800 2 988 988 roi: 1800 927 213* available through participating Weight-Management counsellors only. offer price valid until 31/3/2011. not valid in conjunction with any other offer (excluding the recipe book offer above).

neW yeAr prIce

offer*

✁

HH48150/12/10