Rachel is retired and loving it, but felt her weight was affecting her energy levels. She was worried about her health and looking to make gradual changes to her lifestyle which she could sustain in the long term. She has lost over a stone on the Second Nature programme and has kept it off for the past 9 months!
What brought you to Second Nature?
Before I started on Second Nature, I had been roughly the same weight (albeit overweight) for a few years. Then my weight started to creep up and I felt I really had to do something about it, not only to look and feel better, but to reduce the increasing risk of type 2 diabetes.
I had lost weight about 5 years ago so I knew I could do it despite being older, but as is the case with lots of people it had all piled back on.
How did you find the programme?
The initial Reset phase was the biggest eye opener. While it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t too bad either and those five days seemed to make a huge difference to my cravings. I don’t think I realised I had a sugar craving until I was on Reset.
By the end of the five days, I found my appetite had readjusted to three meals a day and best of all I seemed to have lost the need to snack in the evening. It made transitioning to the rest of the programme easy and I loved the simplicity of the diet.
I liked being able to monitor my progress, I was surprised to find that I was really quite active as far as my step count went, and I liked the daily articles which definitely kept me motivated.
What did you like about the programme?
I haven’t really tried to diet very much in the past. Second Nature was different because it kept me going on a daily basis. I had decided to take it slow and steady as I didn’t want a quick weight loss that might all go back on again. And it was very much a slow process, but it was amazing how those small losses added up week on week!
I am encouraged that a few months afterwards the weight has stayed off. The daily articles encouraged me to keep going and I learnt so much not just about diet and exercise, but a whole new healthy lifestyle which I am still trying to put into practice.
I also corrected some misconceptions about what I had thought was healthy – fruit juice for example!
What was the biggest change for you?
Second Nature changed the way I think about food – I am much more mindful of what I consume. I make sure I have a balanced and varied diet and I feel fitter and healthier all round.
The best part of the process was losing my sugar craving and the need to snack. I no longer eat sugary foods, but I do now eat healthy fats which I had been avoiding before.
The best thing about the programme for me was being able to see my progress on the graphs on a day to day basis and reading the daily articles to be constantly re-motivated. It helped me think about how to cope with situations like eating out or being on holiday which for me are the times when I am likely to slip up.
What would you say to someone considering the programme?
For anybody thinking of trying the Second Nature programme I would say – if you just follow the plan and do what they say it will work. Just don’t give up. If you have one bad day, just make sure you get back on track the next.
Over the programme, you will adjust to a new way of eating and you will lose weight. I still can’t quite believe I have lost the weight I have, but I can honestly say it wasn’t hard. It just needed perseverance – slow and steady worked for me.
How do you feel now?
I am just about to start again on the Reset part of the programme. I feel that my weight has stabilised at a new lower level and that I am now ready to go on to lose some more. My digestion has definitely benefited from the changes I have made in my diet. I feel fitter and healthier and more optimistic about life in general.
You can read more Second Nature stories here.
*Name and photo have been anonymised at the user’s request.
