£100K TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE: James Lost 5st 5lbs* & Won £1000 Cash
For James, life had become a struggle. Carrying out the most basic tasks were difficult, his self esteem was low and he found himself staying in doors. He had led a sedentary lifestyle for 10 years, his thirties were fast approaching and he knew he needed to end this vicious cycle. After seeing the amazing results his sister was having on plan, James decided to give it a go. And he hasn’t looked back, losing a massive 5st 5lbs* & winning £1000 cash in our transformation challenge.
Here, he shares how his life has changed so far.
New You: James, why did you decide to join the challenge?
James: I wanted to improve my health and get my weight to a place I felt happy with. I was 350lbs when I started, and it was hard to do even the most basic tasks. My self-esteem was incredibly low, and I was stuck in a constant spiral of eating only takeaway food because I didn’t have the energy to do anything else. I’m 29 now, and I’ve been living that lifestyle for nearly 10 years. My 30s were coming up, and thinking of doing this for another 10 years scared me. I wanted to change my lifestyle as soon as possible.
New You: Tell us about any non-scale victories you achieved throughout the challenge.
James: Probably the biggest standout moment has been how much I’ve been able to stand up! I was stuck to my chair for hours every single day, unable to move. Now I walk everywhere in my apartment, doing as many things as I can during the day. I even go out walking around my neighbourhood, something that horrified me before I started the plan.
New You: How did you feel when you found out you were chosen as a winner?
James: I’m absolutely over the moon to have been chosen as a winner! I couldn’t believe it when I got the call. To be one of the winners means the world to me. I put in a lot of hard work to get to where I am now, and I am incredibly thankful to have been chosen.
New You: We’d love to know how you heard about the plan!
James: I was visiting my sister for Christmas, and she told me about it! She’s been a big supporter of New You and thought it could really help me lose weight.
Getting started…
New You: What led to you starting the plan?
James: Before starting the plan, I felt very sluggish all day. My mood was incredibly low, and I had a lot of anxiety about my image, to the point where I wouldn’t go outside very much. Standing, or any exercise at all, would exhaust me, and I would have to sit down not long after. My health was very poor, and I got sick very frequently.
New You: And tell us about that first week…
James: I was so nervous for my first week as I wasn’t sure I could do it. It seemed like such a dramatic change from what I was used to. The first three days were a learning process for me. I wasn’t sure how to space out my meals and left most of them later in the day – I was worried I would be hungry all day if I didn’t. The second day was probably the hardest; my body was adapting to the new diet. I felt pretty low in energy, and it felt like my head was cloudy.
After that, though, I never experienced anything negative again! I was shocked at how easy it was to follow the plan: 5 packs a day and a snack. What felt impossible before I started now feels incredibly doable. I ended my first week losing almost a full stone; it blew me away, and I knew I had to stick with it.
New You: What are your go-to meals & snacks?
James: My favourite meals have to be the Mint Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Orange Bar, Chocolate Caramel Muesli, Chicken Noodle Curry Soup, Mushroom Soup, Sweet and Sour Noodles, and Spaghetti. My absolute favourite product, though, is the Chocolate Brownie. I’ve had it every single day, and I can’t believe something so good could be diet food!
My favourite snacks are the Crisps: Salt and Vinegar, Bacon, and Chicken. There are a lot of great snack options on the plan, but nothing can beat a good packet of crisps.
For a typical day on plan, I start my day by eating any of my bars and a packet of crisps. I like to start off with a bar because it gives me easy energy as soon as I wake up! I also drink 1 litre of water almost immediately to get my water intake started. After about 4 hours, I have a Chicken Noodle Curry and a bowl of Muesli. These are two of my favourite meals, and I like how easy they are to make. I have another litre of water here. Later in the day, around dinner time, I’ll have my fourth meal. I like to change this meal up, so I usually pick it at random, but I usually end up choosing the Spaghetti. Here, I have my third litre of water to go with it. A few hours before I go to sleep, I always end my day with a Chocolate Brownie. It’s my favourite product, and it makes the end of every day feel great. Throughout the day, I’ll have been sipping on some water, so by nighttime, I will have drank my fourth litre.
Life changing…
New You: How would you say the plan has changed your life?
James: Being on the plan has given me a lot more confidence. I used to be locked inside my house, feeling a lot of shame because of the weight I had put on. I go outside walking every single day now. I’ve been reaching out to old friends and spending time with people I hadn’t seen in what feels like forever. I was always worried people were judging me for my weight, but now I don’t have those fears. I’m more able to be myself and not feel afraid of that. I even started going back to the cinema! Film has been something I’ve cared deeply about, but I had a constant fear I wouldn’t fit into a cinema seat. Now it’s almost impossible to get me out of one with how often I’m going!
I felt a lot less stress on my legs to begin with. I used to have constant back pain all day, every day. Since starting the plan, these problems have basically vanished. I used to have terrible sleep problems; some days I wouldn’t be able to sleep until 10am and wake up at 6pm or 7pm. I felt tired constantly. Now I go to bed at a much more reasonable time, and the sleep I get feels amazing! My energy levels feel so much higher, too. If something needs to be done, I feel like I have the energy to do it.
New You: What is the nicest compliment you have received since losing weight?
James: So many people have said I look a lot younger since losing weight. Since I’m entering my 30s next year, it feels good to know I don’t look too old yet!
New You: What would you say to someone thinking of starting the plan?
James: Stick with it. It seems scary at the start, but once you get going, you’ll be amazed at the things you can accomplish. I remember day 1 feeling terrified I wouldn’t be able to make it a week, and now here I am on week 14! You’re a lot stronger than you think you are, and you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish!
Whether you want to lose half a stone or 10 stone*, have a slimmer figure, or are just looking to get maximum nutrition in minimum time, then New You can make the perfect partner to get you to where you want to be.
Join Our £100,000 Giveaway… Make 2024 Your Year of MORE
Our Transformation Challenge is BACK for 2024 & it’s bigger & better than ever!!
Are you ready to make 2024 your healthiest, happiest year yet? This year we launched our biggest ever giveaway, and we’re inviting you to be a part of it. Join us on a journey of self-improvement, community, and incredible rewards.
The Lowdown…
- Enjoy 4 yummy meals a day: Kickstart your health journey with tasty meals that make a real difference.
- Share your story: Got a great update? Post it on social media and in our community. You could win awesome freebies just for sharing your progress!
- Snap & win: Every 2 months, send in your progress photos. You could win a share of £7000. Let’s celebrate your journey together!
- Go for the big prize: Create an amazing transformation and you could grab our top prize of £10,000 in November 2024. It’s all about the wow factor!
Exciting Prizes to be Won
This year, we’re giving away 52K in cash. £7,000 cash will be won every 2 months for our absolute favourite glow-ups! One overall winner will WIN £3000 cash and 4 more customers will each WIN £1000. And the grand finale? An epic £10,000 cash prize for one overall winner! Plus, if you’re a runner-up sharing your story, you’re in for a treat with thousands of pounds worth of awesome products!
Our next Transformation Challenge deadline is 30th June so it’s time to submit your I AM IN photos.
