I shed 12st in just 4 months after £1.2k a year addiction – and I did it without fat jabs

The Sun

4 days ago

A BUSY mum who spent £1.2k on her addiction to a specific food has lost 4st in four months, without weight loss jabs.
Lucy Castle weighed 16st and was a size 20 at her heaviest.
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The mum-of-three had a hankering for cheese and would often find herself snacking on unhealthy treats while juggling looking after her three boys - aged two, nine and 15.
Lucy would regularly gorge on a whole oven-baked Camembert with French bread or chunks of brie and covered her meals in a generous layer of grated cheese.
But when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes Lucy had a wake-up call and decided to give the 1:1 diet a go - after seeing a friend try it out.
The diet involves eating four replacement meals a day and helped Lucy get down to 12st and a size 12 in four months.
Lucy, a diet consultant and women's wellness coach, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, said: "I found myself again.
"I was a busy mum, I used to find the quickest, easiest options.
"Cheese was wrecking my life.
"I was spending £25 a week on different cheeses. My favourite was brie."
Lucy struggled to balance her busy mum life while sticking to a healthy diet.
She would often grab what was easy - chocolate bars, crisps, cheese and takeaways.
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After having her youngest son, now two, she struggled to budge the baby weight.
And then, in March 2024, Lucy's health took a turn.
The mum recalled: "I wasn't feeling well. I was dizzy. I had pins and needles and would come out in sweats.
"I used to avoid social events, hide away in baggy clothes, and I couldn't keep up with my boys."
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She went to see her GP and was diagnosed with type two diabetes that same month.
"It was my wake-up call," she said.
Lucy tried the 1:1 diet and found the meal replacements and supportive consultant helped her stay focused on her goal.
She said: "Seeing the scales every week and my weight going down - it kept me motivated."
She got down to 12st in just four months and is now maintaining the weight by switching to easy home-cooked meals and healthy snacks.
She has also reversed her type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Lucy still has the occasional treat or cheese on crackers but said food no longer "controls" her.
She is able to be more active with her boys.
Lucy said: "Before I couldn't keep up with my children.
"My back was hurting - my knees, my hips.
"Now I have more energy.
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"I feel so much happier, my health is back on track, and I'm enjoying life with my boys more than ever.
"For the first time in years, I love shopping for clothes that make me feel amazing."
Now a wellness coach supporting others in their weight loss journeys, Lucy hopes to inspire others.
She said: "Believe in yourself.
"You can do this too. Take one day at a time, stop being hard on yourself, and practice self-love.
"It's not just about losing weight - it's about finding you again."
The 1:1 diet explained
The 1:1 diet, previously known as the Cambridge diet, is a calorie-controlled eating plan aimed at rapid weight loss.
There is a strict regime to follow, starting as a 12-week, very low-calorie diet consisting of meal replacements in the form of shakes, soups and bars.
It also includes personal one-to-one support with a diet consultant to guide you through the different stages.
The diet follows six stages and total calories gradually increase from around 500 to 1200 kcal per day before the maintenance stage is reached.
What you eat depends on the stage you're in.
While it may provide quick results in the short term, it can be hard to follow long term as it's restrictive.