LighterLife Magazine 2024

FREE

COPY

2006

2006

We've been maintaining for See inside

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client stories

years We lost 8+ stone in 2007 and have kept it off since!

Get inspired to lose a stone a month

Read our clients'

COMMENTS What I loved about the TotalFast plan is that it gave me a break from thinking about food. I had my four packs, and they were enough to provide all the daily nutrients I needed to keep me healthy.

Linda

What I liked about LighterLife is that you didn’t need to Calorie count and the results were quick, seeing the lbs come off each week, was very encouraging.

Joyce

The weight loss was significant and kept me going, I even stayed on plan longer than I expected as I felt so good.

Rich I lost 7lbs in my first week on TotalFast and didn't feel hungry or tired at all. And the responses I got from people when they heard about my weight loss were amazing.

Marcia

I love the simplicity of LighterLife. My first week was a journey of discovery; I didn’t find myself feeling hungry at all and was still full of energy, which came as a surprise.

Paul Are you thinking of joining LighterLife too?

Because if you’re willing to put the work in, it will change your life. And I’d really recommend continuing with your group for Management as just losing the weight isn’t the end, you need to learn to maintain your health and weight as well.

Sarah

The desire to feel better immediately – even if it means feeling worse in the future – is called instant gratification. When you’re seeking instant gratification, you’ll do things that make you feel better right now, just as you do when you act on impulse without thinking about the likely results of your behaviour. It’s a quick fix, with your immediate thoughts and feelings taking precedence over your goals.

A key part of being successful, of mastering new skills that will last, is delayed gratification – the ability to make a sustained effort and not give up the first few times you think about sabotaging; to tolerate some discomfort now to achieve the lasting results you want. It’s where that reflective space comes in, with you creating time to think things through before taking action, so you can feel better, act better and be better in the long run.

Now that’s

GRATIFYING When you focus on what you do in your life that gives you genuine pleasure and a sense of achievement, you’ll probably find these are areas where you’re already practicing delayed gratification, giving you solid evidence that this is something you can do and are already doing successfully in many areas of your life. On your LighterLife path you’re continuing this valuable work.

YOUR MENTOR IS THERE TO HELP ACTION IS THE FOUNDATION KEY TO ALL SUCCESS

Unlike many other magazines and advertisers, we do not airbrush our clients.

ITS TIME TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Get in touch with your personal Mentor by visiting lighterlife.com or call 0800 298 8988 1

I lost 5st 10lb in 5 months

I lost 3st in 3 months

I was a typical dieter, trying loads of different ways to lose weight from the cabbage soup diet to taking pills, lost some but then it went back on again.

I started TotalFast in March 2007, lost 3 stone in 3 months, another stone on Management and 16 years later I’m still there. I’d really recommend continuing with Management, it’s a great reset switch. When I walk to the fridge I still ask myself ‘am I really hungry?’

But in 2007 my daughter’s wedding was on the horizon and I was getting desperate. I didn’t want to be the fat mother-of-the-bride. Then I heard about LighterLife. To be honest, it seemed too good to be true, but I was desperate, so I gave it a go. What stood out for me was not having to choose what to eat other than the Foodpacks. It meant a more controlled way of eating. And that’s what I didn’t have, control over food.

I followed the TotalFast plan. Because I wasn’t hungry, going out socialising wasn’t the problem I thought it was going to be. Losing weight is only half the story.

Just focusing on what you eat isn’t enough. The group work, and Zoom makes it easy to keep in touch.

And I must say with the help of my Mentor, Alicia, I began to understand more about why I'd used food the way I had, and with that understanding the group helped me develop the skills to manage life differently. I thought I would always feel out of control, that I had no cutoff when it came to eating, but that’s no longer true.

I’ve learned so much, changed so much.

I love looking better, feeling healthier, and having more confidence in everything I do. I just feel better in myself.

I even think I look younger than I did!

Debbie DEBBIE’S TOP TIP

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If you’re wondering whether to give LighterLife a go, ask yourself whether you’re genuinely ready to lose your weight, ready for the commitment. If the answer’s yes, you’ll be making one of the best choices you’ve ever made.

Joining LighterLife is like pressing the reset button.

The weekly group was like a shared community, with a shared ‘supportiveness’, being able to discuss our journeys and stories in confidence in an enjoyable environment. There was a great team feeling.

LighterLife has been absolutely life changing for me. I’ve trained as a police officer and there's no way I would have done that when I was overweight.

Doing a fitness test is part of the job. Now I'm one of the highest-level fitness people in my entire force, and that's all down to the life changing, you know, LighterLife.

Sarah SARAH’S TOP TIP If you’re thinking of joining, there are so many adventures in your future, so many exciting places you're going to go that you can't even imagine right now. You just need to believe in yourself and everything will open out for you.

lighterlife.com

back in 2007 and I’m still at that healthier weight over 16 years later.

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The weekly CBT Mindfulness sessions helped me enormously.

WHAT IS LIGHTERLIFE MANAGEMENT?

Following the TotalFast plan was so simple for me, all my meals were planned, and I didn’t have to think about food.

The weekly mindfulness sessions with my Mentor, Claire, have proven incredibly valuable, offering profound insights into the underlying reasons behind my food-related behaviours.

If you’d just passed your driving test, would you immediately enter a Formula One race? Similarly, when you lose weight, you need to practice the skills and develop the habits required to maintain your weight loss.

Five years later, the victory remains as sweet as ever.

It's about more than just numbers on a scale; it's about embracing a healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally.”

Falling off the wagon, relapsing, recidivism…whatever you want to call it, is the return of old unhealthy eating and thinking habits. Why is it that? If just losing the weight was a cure for obesity, we would not have an obesity epidemic. Being overweight is too often seen as the problem and that losing weight means you've lost the problem.

Kat

I lost 4st 9lb. Maintaining since 2018.

Without LighterLife’s unique approach, I would never have been able to set myself free from my repeating pattern.

The emphasis on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and the provision of tools to navigate life after weight loss through the ongoing Management plan immediately appealed to me. The constant support from my Mentor, Hazel, has been amazing.

What's truly resonated with me is the understanding that in the long-term you can't simply eliminate food from your life; instead, you must redefine your relationship with it to sustain your weight. Five years down the road, I've successfully done just that, and it's an empowering and liberating feeling."

LighterLife Management is all about that new way of living. Keeping the weight off is as much about managing life as managing the scales. We chose to call long-term weight maintenance 'LighterLife Management' as it's more about the bigger focus of managing life. .

Jools

SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT LOSS

I lost 7st 7lb. Maintaining since 2018.

Few humans stay at exactly the same weight year after year, we are either gaining, losing, or managing the ups and downs effectively - which is the ultimate aim.

New mindset, new me!

Losing weight was just the beginning for me; I knew that the real challenge lay in managing my new weight for the long haul. However, with the weekly sessions guided by my Mentor, Mandy, and the invaluable Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques I acquired, I am equipped and confident to make those lasting changes.

It's been five years, and I can proudly say that I'm still maintaining my weight, a testament to the power of ongoing support and the Management plan."

Louise 4

Whilst being experts at gaining and even losing weight, the skill of weight stabilisation evades most. The first year following weight loss is a fragile new state of being, a roller coaster, of feeling marvellous.

The novice weight manager needs to hone and practice a new way of living without the so-called comfort that food gave them in the past.

There are consequences to losing weight way beyond just body size.

The LighterLife Management Plan is unique. It starts with a 6-week phase. Between weeks 1-3 you reintroduce “baseline” foods designed to work with your body rather than battling it, to help you manage cravings. During weeks 4-6 you experiment with so called “trigger” foods that contain carbs, sugars and fats. At the same time the CBT Mindfulness group work continues free of charge, this initial 6-week phase is followed by strategies to help you continue to build your personalised long-term strategy. You can get your free Management Plan from your personal Mentor, or email help@lighterlife.com to request a copy today.

lighterlife.com

I lost 9st. Maintaining since 2018.

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The dangers of leftovers!

135 Calories in leftover chocolates.*

Eating just one of the below, roughly 135 Calories every day on top of what your body needs, leads to gaining one stone a year.

135 Calories in leftover sandwich.*

135 Calories in leftover Beef Lasagne.*

135 Calories in 1 leftover sausage.*

135 Calories in leftover Steak & Ale pie.*

135 Calories in leftover Croissant.*

135 Calories in leftover toast* 135 Calories in leftover muesli.* *All portions are a guide on leftover Calories

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lighterlife.com

135 Calories tasting spoonfuls whilst cooking.*

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What is a

Our plans

Foodpack?

Provide all you need for getting your head in the right place to lose weight and manage your life, long into the future. Support is available wherever you live and can fit in with your lifestyle. The relationship you build with your Mentor (perhaps like the help you may get with a personal trainer), is one of the keys to your success – and is absolutely free of charge.

Maximum weight loss, maximum nutrition

The TotalFast plan is totally different, being a unique plan designed specifically for those who want to lose weight fast. Combined with our unique group work it has always been our main focus. It provides you with the opportunity to step away from the cravings, the shall I/shan’t I thinking. TotalFast provides you with the opportunity to lose weight at the fastest rate possible, around a stone a month, to reach the healthy weight you want to be and keep it there.

LighterLife Foodpacks are made out of the same stuff as ordinary food and contain the highest quality ingredients following international regulations. Research presented at a European Congress on Obesity showed that out of 11 Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs) on sale in the UK, LighterLife was the only company to have the right amount of nutrition in our Foodpacks. Research also shows it’s impossible to get all the nutrition - the protein, fibre, carbs, essential fats, vitamins and minerals that you need from 600kcal of ordinary food.

TOTALFAST WEIGHT LOSS PLAN Lose a stone a month

Every day you choose either 4x 3x

Full nutrition in around 600kcal

MRF

600 - 800kcal 4 LighterLife Foodpacks No conventional food At least 100% nutrition* Carb intake 50 - 75g a day Daily snacks available as well

Two categories of foodpacks One category contains around 150kcal and contains lower levels of carbohydrate. They include Porridge, Spaghetti Bolognese, Blueberry Pancakes, Chocolate Mug Cake, as well as soups, shakes and bars. They are called VLCD Foodpacks.

The second category contains around 200kcal and contains slightly higher levels of carbohydrate. They include Thai Noodle and Chicken Noodle FastPots, Superfood Green Soup, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Salted Caramel bars, Berry Smoothies and more. They are called Meal Replacement Foodpacks (MRFs).

VLCD Foodpacks or VLCD Foodpacks + 1 x

MANAGEMENT PLAN - Sustaining that weight loss The re-introduction of a variety of ordinary food alongside a 5:2 FlexiFast approach.

KETO Advantage Our TotalFast plan is low enough in Calories and carbs to switch your body into burning fat (stored food) for the bulk of your energy – a natural metabolic state called ketosis. It also has enough high quality protein to keep lean muscle healthy – including the heart – while you’re losing weight.

Ketosis generally suppresses appetite, so on TotalFast any hunger you do notice is likely to be about what’s happening in your head not what’s going in your mouth – which is what you explore in our CBT Mindfulness sessions.

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Management is designed for when you have reached the weight you want to be. (See pg's 4/5). It provides you with the support you need to manage that fragile time that follows weight loss.

HOW WE SUPPORT YOU: •

Free meetings

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Easy, tasty recipes

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Proven strategies for long-term lifestyle changes

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Simple, tried-and-tested tactics for dealing with potential triggers

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Practical tips for healthy shopping, including food-labelling guidance

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Continued support from your Mentor and the Client Experience team

*This is the minimum nutrition required; to ensure you stay within the Calorie and carbs limit of your plan.

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HOW

YOU THINK THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD Do you spend a lot of time listening to mindless chatter in your head, debating, arguing, and planning with yourself about what you ‘could’ eat, what you ‘shouldn’t’ eat? Negotiating what you can ‘get away with’? With your group’s support you have the opportunity to explore these internal conversations.

Do what you’ve always done, and you’ll get what you’ve always had.

Understanding your ‘why’ is one of your keys to change and knowing your ‘how to change’ is another. Our unique CBT mindfulness approach goes beyond what you put in your mouth and explores how your thinking affects your eating behaviour, giving you the tools for losing weight and keeping it off. It’s time to be different.

It’s also the result of decades of research worldwide and practical experience in helping over a million people. LighterLife groups are free. They are about getting off the dieting treadmill. Each weekly meeting includes a Hot Topic session where you and your fellow members chat about the treadmill stuff.

Here's an overview of some of the subjects covered in the meetings:

SECRET EATING So many clients tell us the car or the bedroom are their ‘go to’ places for secret eating. That's just what we look at with Hot Topics 'Hidden moments'

LS SH O PP IN G TR O LL EY ES SE NT IA !

H AV E DO UB LE D IN O NE YE AR Front page Sarah says ‘I saved money on LighterLife’ I hadn’t realised how much I was spending on food and stuff.

When I went to the supermarket I threw in a lot of rubbish, junk food and things that I didn't need.

Not to mention forgotten ‘treats’. Being on TotalFast meant I had more money left at the end of the week. I was an emotional eater and taking ordinary food out of the equation for a while was just what I needed.

Even before the cost-of-living crisis LighterLife always helped people save money but now with the cost of food rising we’re all looking for more economical ways to shop.

So, the last thing you need when you’re trying to lose weight is for it to cost you more than you’d usually spend. In the past, people have said they’ve put off joining LighterLife because of the cost. Having worked with over a million clients LighterLife knows that people underestimate how much they spend on food.

Research shows only taking into consideration

COMFORT EATING Ever described yourself as a ‘comfort eater’? Hot Topics such as ‘Hangry’ and ‘Why boredom is boring’ explore what comfort eating really means. And who couldn’t do with help managing life when ‘Stressed is desserts spelt backwards’?

BODY MATTERS

At first, I had reservations about the cost of the programme. However, when I took a closer look at my spending habits, factoring in the daily coffees, occasional indulgent treats, wine, groceries, and takeaways, it became clear that the investment in my health was well worth it.

As well as Hot Topics there’s also Body Matters information to dispel common dieting myths. It will help to get your body working with you rather than fighting against you.

Natalie

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the cost of the supermarket spend does not include things such as snacks, sweets, alcohol, deliveries and even filling up yourself as well as the car at garages. Such eating can account for around 40% of the average weekly spend.

Interestingly, our clients say when you add everything together LighterLife actually saves money.

LighterLife turned out to be a money-saving journey for me, as I no longer visited the supermarket for unnecessary purchases every week.

Kat

lighterlife.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHANGING

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The importance

Although the weekly sessions covering CBT mindfulness, and Hot Topics can feel a bit strange to start with, they all make a lot of sense. And we all take different things away from the meetings.

of Groups & Mentors

Debbie

Attending the meetings with my Mentor, Jacqueline, proved to be incredibly beneficial. The sessions provided the support and accountability I needed to stay on track.

Having my Mentor, Hazel’s, support has been priceless. I’m pretty sure she’s saved my life. I know she has been instrumental in how I’ve changed my life for the better.

Penny

I enjoyed the weekly CBT Mindfulness sessions and found them really useful to reset my thinking during my weight-loss journey. I had other people in my group who had similar past experiences which I found helpful. I always found myself nodding along when someone would share an anecdote about their past eating habits!

Mark

Jo

Rhys

My Mentor is lovely, kind and supportive. I have landed on my feet with my Mentor, Tracey, she always makes me feel that I am her number one priority.

Tessa 12

I found the support from my Mentor and our weekly group sessions invaluable. I wish I’d done it years ago!

Sharon

The support from my Mentor and group each week has been great. They have helped me to understand why I act in the way I do. This has helped me to create new healthier habits and learn new ways of behaving as I enter into the Management stage, so I can be the ‘new me’ for life.

Zoe

lighterlife.com

WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH A PERSONAL MENTOR

I LOVED my weekly CBT Mindfulness sessions, especially the Hot Topics which I could tailor to my personal experiences and aspects of my life that weren’t helping me. Hot Topics are very thought provoking and offer a fabulous lasting message at each session.

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I lost 10st in 8 months

‘Before LighterLife that felt impossible’

This was me…

ing wear

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swollen legs and feet •

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high blood pressure

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misusing food

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breathlessness

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drifting through life

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feeling helpless

ask nea m p a p a slee

in denial

But, unbeknownst to me, my weight meant I was not inhaling enough oxygen, a potentially life-threatening situation. I went to a sleep clinic and apparently, I was subconsciously waking up about 50 times a night. And for those with sleep apnea that’s the case every night when they go to bed.

There are loads of things I've spotted since losing the weight.

Simple things like when I pick up a small pair of underpants out of the drawer it takes a moment to realise, they are mine and not my sons. Even strange things. The bigger me had to have the car seat so far back no one could sit behind me. The fat on my back was like sitting with a big cushion behind me.

My health has greatly improved, my blood pressure is normal.

Swollen legs and ankles all gone. I can walk briskly and hold a conversation.

THE GROUP

Now I’m the real me not that cardboard cutout made from a picture before LighterLife.

Looking at it is sort of surreal. When you’re big you don’t kind of know how big you are.

You don’t see you as you really are. There’s so much denial. I didn’t want to see what I was doing to myself. When I look at that cut out, I sort of say, why?

I lost 10 stone in 8 months. Losing 16 pounds in the first week more than compensated for feeling a bit hungry, and anyway the hunger went away quickly.

My Mentor, Natalie, has been brilliant. She’s helped me develop great coping skills. I have learned how to notice triggers that could affect my “need” for food. And she helped me to never deviate from the TotalFast Plan. I have attended almost every week. There’s a good mix of questioning, reflection, ideas and support. Without the group it would have been easy to drift.

The whole men and dieting thing, I know men don’t see slimming clubs as being there for them. I don't think we normally do the whole talking thing, but LighterLife groups are different. Nothing like an ordinary slimming club.

The reason I’ve taken a half day holiday to come to this photoshoot today is if somebody can benefit from what I’ve done maybe seeing my story, its worth it.

Nigel

My health was really suffering. The whole sleep apnea thing meant I’d wake up in the night with what I thought was acid reflux.

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Since losing my weight 13 years ago with LIghterLife, I have learned about the type of dresses that suit my shape so in my mind’s eye my dream wedding dress would have a halter-neck, be covered in jewels, and slim fitting to flatter my shape.

3 LighterLife brides

I found that exact jewel of a dress in a small boutique that I had driven past dozens of times over many many years. It was as if it was waiting there, just for me to one day discover. It felt incredible to wear magical even! I’ve never felt so beautiful.

We’ve lost over 17 stone between the three of us

I cancelled my first wedding because I couldn’t imagine anything worse than walking down the aisle with all eyes on me. But after losing 7 stone with LighteLife, I walked into the wedding dress shop and had the pick of them all. I didn’t feel like I had to hide away any longer and chose the perfect wedding dress. Finally, I was able to walk down the aisle confident, strong, and happy in the dress of my dreams.

Stella 4st 4lb in 4 months

Guests at my wedding couldn’t believe I was the same person. A friend who we hadn’t seen me for a year or so, walked out of our reception when he saw me on the dance floor as he thought he was at the wrong wedding!

and maintaining since 2010

Natalie

7st 2lb in 7 months

and maintaining since 2022

Before I lost weight the three things I most dreaded were clothes shopping, hot summer days and everyone staring at me.

As my partner and I started to talk about getting married these three nightmares came together as I thought of going shopping for my wedding dress for my hot midsummer wedding day and being the centre of attention. Then came LighterLife and a 5st 11lb weight loss.

So, last summer, and a special thanks to my Mentor, Patricia, there I stood at the altar in my dream dress feeling like I was in a dream rather than that imagined nightmare.

Katrina 16

5st 11lb in 5 months

and maintaining since 2022 17

Health

Benefits

PHYSICAL VS EMOTIONAL HUNGER

WHILST MANY PEOPLE OVEREAT ON OCCASIONS, THOSE WHO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT MANAGE TO GET THE BALANCE RIGHT. In contrast, people who are overweight do not; they consume more Calories, more energy than their body needs. Why? Do they have a malfunctioning physical hunger system or is something else going on?

MORE OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS USING TOTAL DIET REPLACEMENTS (TDR) LIKE LIGHTERLIFE’S TOTALFAST Did you know that in 50% of couples seeking assisted reproduction there is male infertility? Recent research shows that men with obesity who lost an average of 2st 8lb after an 8 week TDR plan like TotalFast, saw their sperm counts improved by 40% (Lundgren JR et al).

In another study from Imperial College London, 36 men with low sperm counts were randomised to two different weight loss regimes, following either a typical food diet or using LighterLife products for 16 weeks. The average weight loss after 16 weeks on the food diet was 3lb and 2st 3lb on LighterLife.

NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) Unlike type two diabetes which is rarely out of the headlines NAFLD is a less well known. Many people think liver disease

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is something that only chronic heavy drinkers suffer from, but people with obesity are far more likely to have NAFLD. Experts don't know exactly why some people develop NAFLD while others do not but obesity, high blood sugar and high fat levels increase the risk. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells. It is increasingly common and the most common form of chronic liver disease.

The good news is that if you have NAFLD without any other medical problems, making some lifestyle changes is proven to help control, or indeed reverse the excess fat build-up in your liver.

And science supports the benefits of weight loss to help combat this. Published research data for 30 patients with NAFLD who completed a study using a TDR for up to 12 weeks, followed by a tailored food reintroduction weight maintenance plan for 9 months, showed significant improvements in liver health, blood pressure reductions and metabolic health including fasting glucose and insulin, Quality of life scores also improved, all of which were maintained at 9 months.

Emotional hunger often described as Comfort eating has no stronger a link to physical hunger than drinking too much alcohol too often has to do with physical thirst.

PHYSICAL HUNGER Rumbling stomach Stomach hunger Eating because it’s mealtime Stops when feeling full Satisfied by eating Mindful eating, awareness Satisfying nutritional needs Rational choices In LighterLife groups we’ve been exploring hunger for decades, helping people understand more about their ‘Why’ and how to change. Whilst being physically hungry does play a part, too often it’s emotional eating that accounts for consuming more than the body needs.

Too often eating has been treated as if it is just about physical hunger. Subsequently the obesity epidemic has primarily been seen as just a food problem and for years the medical profession and pharmaceutical industries have been searching for ways to minimise that hunger using appetite suppression medications such as Sibutramine (now banned) and various forms of bariatric surgery such as stomach stapling and gastric sleeve reducing stomach size. Many methods of reducing intake are a help initially but sustaining weight loss is a complex issue and requires long term intervention.

EMOTIONAL HUNGER Little to do with feeling full Mouth hunger, need to chew Bears little relevance to when you last ate Feels urgent – ‘got to’ have it now I’ll just have one more Mindlessly eating Usually for a specific food ‘mood food’ Sense of being out of control In recent years injections have become popular. One of these is Wegovy available on prescription. It was originally licensed for the treatment of type two diabetes. However, it was also found to reduce physical appetite by mimicking the action of the satiety hormone GLP-1 that is released from the gut after a meal. As well as helping insulin action, it also feeds back to the brain creating a sense of fullness, theoretically, stopping people from overeating.

No medication is free from potential side effects but there are two factors that limit the long-term effectiveness of this medication. It has only been approved for use for up to a maximum of two-years, after which the effect of the drug wears off quickly and too often there is limited or no treatment options for working with emotional hunger, as was shown on the Channel 4 tv documentary.

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LighterLife groups – a space to share, to meet, to be yourself and shape your own personal journey Ask anyone why people overeat, and you will hear things like boredom, stress, loneliness, unhappiness, even happiness. Ask the same person how best to lose weight and they’ll undoubtedly say things like exercise, a diet, medication, or surgery.

Put those lists side by side and the problem becomes clear: the reasons people like us overeat are so often linked to our emotions and yet the so-called solutions we employ to lose weight mostly relate to the physical. Exploring why we reach for food when it’s not really what we need is crucial for weight loss and maintaining long-term.

Mindfulness is a way to bring your skills into focus, to bring a helpful way of thinking into awareness in the present moment rather than going down the crooked thinking road.

The groups ask the important questions and guide you through the change process, helping you begin to identify and master the skills that nurture your long-term weight management. To lose weight and keep it off you need to go beyond food. You need to find and change the ‘why’ of why you have gained weight. Help you quieten that voice in your head that tries to tempt you into having 'just one more.'

The route to your stomach isn’t through your mouth, it’s through your mind.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY (CBT) The LighterLife Programme uses a mix of CBT and Mindfulness within a group setting managed by LighterLife trained Mentors. Our minds are hugely powerful tools. What we think affects how we feel, and in turn affects how we behave.

CBT tools help you recognise and challenge what’s going on, why you’ve used food in the ways you have. A place where you explore some of the reasons why you put on weight and ways to change – because there’s a bit more to it than just food.

Dr Aaron Beck developed CBT in the late 60s. He encouraged people to detach themselves from challenging thoughts such as “I MUST have it” and see them for what they were - inner voices and not necessarily the truth, and that those thoughts need to be challenged. Such unhelpful thoughts are called ‘crooked thinking’, thinking in a way that’s extreme, exaggerated, habitual and unrealistic, using language such as, "I should have to, I can’t, I’m useless, one won’t hurt, I’ve got to have it”.

Our medical director, Dr Matt Capehorn, explains that, "CBT is particularly useful in addressing the underlying emotional causes for overeating and there’s strong evidence that combining CBT with interventions such as TotalFast, increases weight loss”.

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YOUR GROUP

Groups are very informal, discreet, no judgements – just welcoming and understanding.

Mentors deliver weekly ‘Hot Topic’ sessions in a group setting via Zoom, so no matter where you are, you can access your free group. Zoom sessions are available nationwide along with various methods of support. Some face-to-face groups are available, however our clients find the convenience of our Zoom groups a much more accessible option. It’s a great way to meet others. Your Mentor will help guide you if you’re a bit unsure about using Zoom.

Our thoughts are so powerful that it can affect...

Discussions happen around a different Hot Topic each week. Some of the themes focus on awareness, motivation, change, and relationships, with such titles as ‘If Your Fridge Could Talk’, Desserts is Stressed Spelt Backward’, ‘Beneath Boredom, and ‘Quick Wins’.

CBT TRIANGLE ... and what we end up doing.

Over time you have the opportunity to develop your personal toolkit which gives you the opportunity to meet the needs that food and drink were serving in a healthier, more helpful and resourceful way. Your group meeting is where you acquire and practice them, which is why it’s so important to attend each week.

how we feel...

The important thing is to keep questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.

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I lost 8st in 6 months

Never believed that it was possible.

I listened to the fabulous Denise Welch’s podcast talking about LighterLife and how it gave her total control without the Calorie counting. It made a light go on in my head, and I thought’ This Is The One. At the beginning it became a case of mind over matter, I kept visualising myself at my goal weight, the clothes I’ll wear, the way I’ll feel. And once ketosis kicks in, gosh it’s like a new lease of life, lots of energy, no hunger, and a clearer mind to rebuild yourself.

Food isn’t the answer, even though it’s an easy thing to turn to.

One of the best parts about the LighterLife programme is the Mentor help. Valerie’s constant support and advice has been key to my LighterLife success story. She’s helped me realise that what I didn’t see as an unhealthy habit before has had a major effect on my weight and my health.

And I LOVED my weekly CBT Mindfulness sessions especially the Hot Topics which I could tailor to my personal experiences and aspects of my life that weren’t helping me. Hot Topics are very thought provoking and offer a fabulous lasting message at each session.

I’ve been shopping for holiday clothes and I’ve already packed my case. I’ve even managed to earn some extra money selling my old clothes and it feels amazing to get them out of my life and make way for my new wardrobe to grow.

If you’ve been wondering about starting LighterLife, all I can say is DO IT! Take the plunge. Yes, it’s a challenge, but your reward is a fresh start, a bright future, and a new life.

Rhys 22

I lost 3st 2lb.

I have started a new diet every Monday for almost 30 years!

I decided I had to do something different and that’s when I found LighterLife. I lost weight so quickly it made my goal feel achievable.

After what I’ve learnt in my CBT Mindfulness group, I now think completely differently about food. It’s not that I didn’t know these things before but somehow, I understand them and myself more now. Now that I’ve lost the weight, I can’t stop shopping for new clothes!"

Karen

I lost 2st 7lb.

My passion has led to my becoming a LighterLife Mentor.

My LighterLife experience has not only helped me lose over 2 stone so far, and I’ve got one more to go, but has also helped me find a new career. I trained and became a LighterLife Mentor in January 2023. I love what happens in my weekly groups, working through the Hot Topics with my clients and seeing their way of thinking change. It's phenomenal!"

Joy - LighterLife Mentor.

I lost 6 stone.

In January 2022, I reached a turning point and made a firm decision to achieve and maintain my ideal goal weight.

I came across LighterLife, and it offered me the perfect solution, no calorie-counting, the simplicity of the plan, and the convenience of not needing to constantly weigh and measure food.

The invaluable support of my Mentor, Judy, and the weekly CBT Mindfulness, combined with a small, like-minded group, proved to be instrumental on my journey. This transformation has not only impacted my appearance but has also boosted my self-esteem and overall well-being."

Francis

23

MEMBERSHIP

I lost

We’d like to invite you to join with us at a variety of ‘happenings’ during 2024 – watch for news on our Facebook page and website.

in 10 months

NEWS! Meet your

'A great day at the LighterLife photoshoot'

Client Experience team

Alicia

Chrissy

Sam

WITH OVER 24 YEARS OF LIGHTERLIFE WISDOM BETWEEN THEM We've got some friendly faces to introduce to you today. Meet Alicia, Chrissy and Sam, the amazing ladies behind the scenes in our Client Experience team.

Got a question? Feeling uncertain about something?

With over 24 years of combined LighterLife wisdom and client care, there's probably nothing they haven't seen, heard, or answered.

Whether it's a quick chat over the phone, a speedy reply to your email, a private message or exchange via our Facebook community, Alicia, Chrissy and Sam are here to support you on your LighterLife journey, whenever you need them, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Call: 0800 298 8988

24

10 stone My weight loss journey with LighterLife began as a result of a crucial moment in my life. My consultant advised me that losing weight would speed up my recovery from an upcoming operation. That message hit me hard, and it marked the beginning of my weight loss journey.

In my very first week on the program, I saw a remarkable 10lb weight loss, which was so motivational. Attending the meetings with my Mentor, Jacqueline, proved to be incredibly beneficial. These sessions provided the support and accountability I needed to stay on track. While the weight loss itself was motivating, the camaraderie and opportunity to share experiences with others made the journey much more manageable. As they say, 'It's good to talk!' I even utilised the WhatsApp group chat to share progress pictures, offering encouragement to those facing their own challenges.

I have gone from a dress size 28 to a size 14. I now approach the gym with confidence, relish playing bowls in my medium-sized shirt instead of my former 7XL. Without a doubt, LighterLife has been the best diet plan, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.”

Jo

Any of this sound familiar to you?

I’ve often planned to start a diet on a Monday I’ve lost weight before only to regain it I sometimes regret what I’ve eaten I tell myself ‘One wont hurt’ I sometimes feel out of control around food I eat secretly sometimes Then I feel guilty about what I’ve eaten I’m a comfort eater I'm desperate to lose weight but I can't get my head in the right place

If you’ve answered yes to more than two of these questions then the answer to...

‘Can LighterLife help me?’ Is YES as well!

Get in touch with your personal Mentor by visiting lighterlife.com or call 0800 298 8988 48210/11/23/CPSV1