“We thought the scales were broken!” – Sue and Nigel’s 8 stone weight loss story

A problem shared is a problem halved, as they say. Sue, 62, and her husband Nigel, 65, embarked on a wellness journey together and shared in the joy of their incredible results. A total of 8 stone lighter between them as a result of following The Fast 800 Programme, they’ve said goodbye to gout, acid reflux and high blood pressure in favour of a long, happy and healthy life together.

In 2019, Nigel went for an annual health review with his GP. He had been suffering from gout, acid reflux, and had been controlling his blood pressure with medication. He was at risk of adding type 2 diabetes to his list of ailments when his GP asked him if he had heard of Dr Michael Mosley.

Nigel’s introduction to The Fast 800

Nigel’s GP advised him that losing weight would be beneficial for his health, and suggested he read ‘The Blood Sugar Diet’ by Dr Michael Mosley. Although he wasn’t pre-diabetic yet, he was certainly on the right track towards it.

He immediately went home to his wife Sue, exclaiming all he had discovered during his appointment. Sue bought Dr Mosley’s book and together they learned about the science behind The Fast 800 Programme. As a team, they were keen to try and apply themselves to this new way of life that had worked for so many others just like them, so they embarked on their journey on 1st January 2020. 

When they started the programme, Sue weighed 13.5st and Nigel, just under 19.5st. They threw themselves into The Very Fast 800, sticking to 800 calories a day for three months. Planning became their friend, as they spent their Sunday’s mapping out their meals for the week ahead using the meal planning tool on the programme. They’d order an online food shop using the programme’s automated shopping lists which was delivered each Monday morning for the week ahead.

Nigel and Sue had a flying start with their new lifestyle, immediately loving the meals, finding that they didn’t miss carbs as much as they thought they would, and pleasantly surprised that they were fully satisfied after all their meals.

Unforeseen setbacks

Fast forward to March 2020, just a couple of months into their journey: the Covid 19 pandemic came as a shock, as the whole country went into lockdown. Having fallen into a rhythm with the programme, they decided to stick with their new healthy lifestyle as the people around them developed unhealthy eating habits while stuck at home. Nigel and Sue kept up their diet and made use of the beautiful scenery around them by going on long walks daily. 

By April, the couple thought their scales had broken! Nigel’s weight had dropped to an unbelievable 15st, while Sue’s had plummeted to around 11st. By that point, they’d lost over 5st between them. They would weigh themselves each morning, unable to believe that they were dropping several pounds every few days.

Excited and energised by their results, the couple continued on until after six months on the programme, they’d reached their target weights.

Where are Nigel and Sue now?

After losing over 5st and 3st respectively, the couple have now relaxed their approach a little. They have continued to follow the principles of the programme to maintain their healthy lifestyle and are not looking back anytime soon. 

During their first six months, the couple would go on long 2.5 hour walks two to three times a week. They’re still walking as often as they can, and after reading one of our helpful articles on exercise, Sue discovered that weight bearing exercise is good for women over fifty, so she has even found a new passion through a class called ‘Ladies who Lift’! 

They’ve continued using the programme for the years that followed their weight loss, and have been able to maintain that weight ever since. With their newfound understanding of their own bodies and the principles of the Mediterranean-style diet, they are able to pull themselves back to healthy habits whenever they loosen their approach around holidays or Christmas time or when they go on holiday. This knowledge has been their key to long term health and habitual wellness. 

If you want to achieve life-changing results like Nigel and Sue within a matter of months, try your 7-day free trial of The Fast 800 Programme today.

Top questions for the couple: 

Sue, were there any habits you found you needed to break?

“I’ve always loved sweet things and that was always my downfall, but I managed to break my sugar addiction by using the programme. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still allow myself the occasional treat (I love a piece of carrot cake!) but generally, I don’t have nearly as much sugar as I did. In fact, I think the flexibility of the programme is the main reason why it’s been so successful for us and why we’ve managed to maintain the weight loss.”

Nigel, is there anything you miss in your new healthy diet?

“Occasionally I miss a mashed potato with butter, but your taste buds adapt over time and actually I don’t crave it anymore. I would never have believed I could get so excited about a cauliflower!”

What helped to make the programme so achievable for you both?

“It’s the flexibility and the simplicity of the programme that makes it so achievable for us. The Fast 800’s new app is fantastic, and it’s made life so much easier when it comes to planning. I’ve downloaded it onto my laptop and so I have it on a stand in the kitchen when I’m preparing meals. I also find that by using the shopping lists on the programme, I spend less money on my weekly shop. There is a lot less waste because of course, you only need to buy what you’re going to eat.”