Gillian has battled with her weight all her life and, after taking early retirement, knew she wanted to make a change. She chose Second Nature as it was completely different from her usual go-to’s. Three months down the line, Gillian has lost over 30lbs, is healthier, more energetic, and feels optimistic about her future!

A little about you

My name is Gillian and in April this year, at the age of 57, I was fortunate enough to take early retirement after working 33 years in the NHS.

I’ve battled with my weight all my life. I’ve always been overweight and have yo-yo’d over the years trying various diets, including WW and SW, as well as other fad diets – there’s too many to mention!

I knew with my retirement I wanted to get fitter. I researched lots of different eating plans and eventually chose Second Nature as it seemed to be completely different from my usual go to’s.

The support and guidance from SN is amazing!

I was very apprehensive before starting as I couldn’t work out what I couldn’t eat at the beginning. However, the support and guidance from SN has been amazing! The daily articles increase your knowledge and motivation about the programme and the recipes are awesome – delicious and super easy to make with no compromises on the best ingredients.

I also found my health coach’s support really valuable. They interact with you every day with questions to make you think and keep you motivated. I was in a group of people in a similar situation who were there to support me – both on my bad days and on days when I was winning.

“My fridge is stocked full of real foods – not a diet drink, low-fat cheese, or low-fat yoghurt in sight!”

I am loving my meals. I’m rarely hungry between meals and my fridge is full of real foods – not a diet drink, low-fat cheese, or low-fat yoghurt in sight! I use butter and cream in cooking and, as someone who enjoys food, this is awesome. I’ve even been enjoying celebrations within my journey.

I also can’t believe that exercise is now a regular part of my daily routine. When I started, I was doing no exercise. However, I started small with a 10-minute walk each day and have gradually increased this to 45 minutes. I also do an easy SN at-home workout or dance class at least twice a week.

My advice to others looking to make a lifestyle change

My key tips for people thinking of giving SN a try is to read the articles, listen to your coaches, plan your meals each week, and drink lots of water.

I’ve also found writing a small paragraph each day in the journal on the app really useful as well.

“I still have a journey to go but have found the support team who will help me get there”

I still cannot believe that only 12 weeks in, I am healthier, more energetic and eating fantastic food. While I still enjoy sweets every now and again, my sweet tooth is definitely less sweet. My outlook on the future is positive and optimistic and, as an added bonus, I am now over 30lbs lighter!

I still have a journey to go but have now found the lifestyle change and support team at SN who will help me get there.

You can read more Second Nature stories here.