A New Life After Weight Loss: Claire’s Hospital Scare to 8 Months Maintaining

Claire is our very first winner of the New You Switch for Maintenance category in the Transformation Challenge — and her story is such an important reminder that the journey does not end when the weight comes off.

After years of going on and off plan, two pregnancies, exhaustion, emotional eating, and reaching her heaviest weight, Claire knew something had to change. A frightening hospital stay became the moment that pushed her to stop putting it off and finally get serious.

Now, after losing the weight and maintaining since August, Claire is proving that long-term success is possible — even in the middle of busy family life with young children. In this interview, she shares what finally changed, how she made the plan work as a mum, and why maintenance has become the next exciting chapter of her transformation.

This is Claire’s Story…

How She Started

Rachael: First of all, thank you for joining me, Claire. How are you?

Claire: I’m really good. Really good. I’m really excited to be here.

Rachael: You are officially our very first winner of the Switch for Maintenance category in the Transformation Challenge, so huge congratulations.

Claire: Thank you. I really appreciate it.

Rachael: You’ve already inspired so many people, especially because you’ve maintained so well, even with young children. You said you’ve been maintaining since August?

Claire: Yes, about eight months now. I worked it out earlier and thought, that’s nearly three quarters of a year. It’s lovely to realise it’s still there and still going well.

Rachael: It really is a huge accomplishment. For people who may not know your story as well, can you tell us a little bit about how you found The New You Plan and what led you to start?

Claire: I first found The New You Plan back in 2018. I was in Cornwall at the time, had put on a little bit of weight, and then, as phones seem to do, adverts started popping up.

At the time I had a hen party coming up and only wanted to lose about a stone. I started the plan, it worked brilliantly, and in about eight weeks I lost the stone and felt fantastic.

Then we found out I was expecting my first child, which was wonderful. Obviously, once you’re pregnant, you have to come off and focus on making sensible food choices. After he was born, I came back on plan during lockdown and lost weight again.

Later, when I had my second child, I reached the heaviest I have ever been. There were a lot of reasons for that — life, emotions, children who don’t sleep, which definitely describes mine. After my little one was born and those first few months had passed, I felt ready to get started again.

At first I was losing weight, but I wasn’t fully committed. I was up and down, on and off, and I didn’t really take it seriously. I would lose some, then life would get in the way, then one day off would become a week, then a month.

Then, at the end of 2024, I ended up in hospital and was very poorly. I was repeatedly told it was weight-related and that I needed to get a handle on my weight. I was in hospital for quite some time, and it absolutely terrified me.

Once I got through that, I knew I had to get serious. I knew the plan worked because I’d used it before. I just had to settle down and get on with it. And now I’m maintaining, which I never thought I would say.

The Wake-Up Call

Rachael: Sometimes it does take that scary moment, doesn’t it?

Claire: Yes, definitely. I was reflecting on it earlier and thinking, would I have lost as much weight as I have now if I hadn’t had that moment? I’m not sure.

It wasn’t the only catalyst. Sometimes your mind is just ready when it’s ready. But the biggest thing for me was not wanting to end up in hospital again. Without that scare, I think I probably would have kept taking the scenic route — jumping on for a few months, losing a bit, then drifting again.

That scare made me think, right, sort it out. Crack on.

“I’ll Start Again on Monday”

Rachael: You said before that one of the things you kept telling yourself was, “I’ll start again on Monday.”

Claire: Yes, and I think so many people do that. You tell yourself you can’t possibly start on a Thursday, or there’s something coming up at the weekend, or you’ll wait until after this or after that.

For me, I think knowing the plan worked was actually against me in some ways, because I knew I could always come back to it and lose weight again. That meant I could push it down the road and tell myself I’d deal with it later.

When I finally got serious, I realised Easter will always come, birthdays will always come, holidays will always come. That doesn’t mean I have to reward myself with the same things or keep putting my life on hold.

What Kept Her Going This Time

Rachael: What do you think really kept you focused this time?

Claire: We booked a holiday to Wales, which is our favourite place, and that really helped. It’s right at the foot of Snowdon, so I knew it would involve being outdoors and walking, and I thought this could finally be a holiday where I can actually join in.

Having that in the back of my mind really kept me focused. Then as the scales came down and I got closer to a weight I’d been comfortable at before, it stopped feeling so far away. It suddenly felt possible.

It gathered momentum like a snowball rolling downhill. Once I could really see it was within reach, I just wanted to keep going.

Rachael: And you enjoyed that holiday?

Claire: We did. We loved it so much that we’ve booked the exact same place again this year. We didn’t climb Snowdon because the children are still so little, but we did beautiful mountain walks and really enjoyed being outside together.

Doing It for Her Children

Rachael: Your children were still very young at that point. Was that a major part of your motivation too?

Claire: Absolutely. I wanted to be able to play with them in the way they wanted to play. They’re very outdoorsy, always on the go, and when I was bigger, I just wanted to sit on a bench and watch because everything felt tiring and exhausting.

I wanted to be part of it. That was one of those moments where you think, come on now, let’s really give this everything.

Rachael: I think you mentioned in your story that you even struggled getting up off the floor sometimes.

Claire: Yes. When your children are little, you spend so much time on the floor with them. We still do now with board games and Lego. These days I don’t even think about getting up, I just do it.

Before, I would have to plan it. I’d be thinking, right, I need to put my legs this way, hold onto the chair first, then pull myself up from there. What kind of life is it where you have to literally plan how you’re going to get up off the floor? It’s just not a life at all.

Making It Work as a Busy Mum

Rachael: What would your advice be to another mum with young children who wants to start?

Claire: This might not work for everyone, but for me, my husband took over the cooking for a while. That helped enormously, because when I was cooking food I really enjoyed, my willpower wasn’t always enough to stand there and not pick at it.

So sometimes I would simply remove myself from the situation and go upstairs to do something else. That was what I needed at that point.

Now I’m better with it and I’m back to making meals for the boys, but it did take some time to get to that point.

Rachael: Did the simplicity of the plan help too?

Claire: Massively. Knowing it was four packs and a snack kept it simple. With young children, life is chaotic, so having something that straightforward really helped.

I always made sure I was prepared. I had bars in the car, in the side door, in my handbag, in the nappy bag. I think preparation was one of the biggest things. And the flexibility helped too. If one product didn’t suit the moment, I could switch it up and have something else instead.

What Her Children Noticed

Rachael: Do you think your children noticed the difference?

Claire: Yes, definitely. They’re really sweet. They don’t fully understand everything, but they notice things in their own way.

If I’m having something different for dinner, they’ll just ask about it and then accept it. And now when I try on new clothes, they’ll say things like, “I like you in that dress, Mummy,” or “That looks nice.” It’s lovely having them as little cheerleaders.

The Confidence to Wear Clothes She Actually Loves

Rachael: You’ve mentioned your new Vinted habit.

Claire: Oh my gosh, yes. It’s become a bit of an addiction.

Before, I always said I just wore tents. I would buy the most voluminous dress possible just to cover myself up. Now I can experiment a bit more, try different things, and wear clothes that actually make me feel good.

That has been really lovely, because before the only function of clothes was to keep me warm and keep me dry. Now I actually enjoy them.

Rachael: Have people noticed that shift?

Claire: Yes, and that’s been really nice too. I’ll get comments on the school run about liking my outfit, and my husband said something that really stayed with me. He said, “Claire, you’ve completely changed your style.”

And I said, yes, because before I didn’t really have one. I was just covering myself up.

When Your Brain Hasn’t Caught Up Yet

Rachael: Did it take time for your brain to catch up with the changes?

Claire: Definitely. At first I’d still go shopping and automatically pick up a size 16 because I’d worn that for so long. Then I’d try it on and be surprised when it didn’t fit because it was too big.

There is something strange about realising the size in your head is no longer your size in real life. It takes time to catch up, but it does eventually start to feel real.

Her Biggest Mindset Shift

Rachael: What do you think was your biggest mindset shift?

Claire: I know what chips taste like. I know what sticky toffee pudding tastes like. If I don’t eat it, I’m not missing out on something I’ve never had before.

That was a really powerful shift for me. Realising I could say no, and that the next day I would feel really glad I had. It doesn’t mean I can never have those things again, but I don’t have to act like every opportunity is my last chance.

Water, Routine and Little Wins

Rachael: Was water an important part of your journey?

Claire: So important. At first it feels like all you do is go to the loo, but your body does adjust, and it has so many benefits. It helped my skin, and overall I just felt better.

How She Moved Into Maintenance

Rachael: Now that you’re maintaining, how are you doing it?

Claire: I still use packs regularly. Even at Christmas, which is known for excess, I still had my Crunchy Crispy Caramel bar for breakfast because it’s just part of my routine now.

Reaching goal was actually a bit tricky because I’m very routine-based and being on plan worked for me. So when I got there, I had to work out what came next.

I eased myself into maintenance quite slowly. I went from full plan to three packs a day, then two, and now I still have around one full four-pack day a week. The rest of the time, the bars and soups are still part of my routine. They feel like a safety net because I know I’m still getting all the vitamins and structure too.

The Support of the Community

Rachael: Has the community helped keep you on track?

Claire: Definitely. It’s such a lovely, supportive place. I made a conscious effort this time to go into the group every single day, and that really helped.

You see people doing brilliantly, and it motivates you. You also get those moments where you’re struggling and you say so, and people show up with kindness and encouragement. That can be the thing that stops you from derailing.

That support has been one of the biggest things in keeping me going.

How She Handles Other People’s Opinions

Rachael: Did you get any negativity from people about the way you were losing weight?

Claire: Not directly, but I think people can be very quick to say things like, “You’ll just put it all back on,” or, “That’s not the right way to do it.”

What I found interesting was that nobody had really commented when I was bigger, apart from doctors who had to because of the health side. But once you start losing weight, suddenly people can have lots of opinions.

That does make you think.

Her Best Advice for Someone Starting

Rachael: What would be your best advice for someone just starting out?

Claire: Just follow it, and it works.

I’d also say don’t compare your weight loss to anyone else’s. That was something I struggled with. I would see people losing 11 or 12 pounds in a week, and that was never me. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t doing well. We all lose at different rates for lots of reasons — age, health, medication, how much you have to lose.

As long as you are making progress, that is what matters. And if the scales aren’t showing it, take your measurements, because things can still be changing.

Summing Up Her Journey

Rachael: If you had to sum up your journey in one sentence, what would it be?

Claire: It really has been life-changing. I know that sounds clichéd, but it’s true. It’s not just “a bit of weight.” It changes how you live, how you move, how you feel, and how you see yourself.

Final Thoughts

Claire’s story is such a powerful reminder that transformation is not just about losing weight. It is about being able to get up off the floor without thinking about it. It is about joining in instead of sitting on the bench. It is about feeling comfortable in your clothes, confident in your body, and calm in your routine.

Most of all, Claire’s journey shows that maintenance is not the end of the story. It is where all the lessons, mindset shifts and new habits begin to become a way of life.

And that is exactly why her story matters so much.

Cash Prizes To Help Your Thrive – £52,000 Up for Grabs!!

This year, we’re giving away 52K in cash. £7,000 cash will be won every 2 months for our absolute favourite glow-ups! The 2026 Transformation Challenge has had an overhaul, creating opportunities for even more people to win fantastic cash prizes! And the grand finale? An epic £10,000 cash prize for one overall winner!

Customers can enter any or ALL of the following challenges:

• Mar & Apr: Ready for Spring (submit by Thursday 30th April)
• May & June: Summer is Coming (submit by Tuesday 30th June)
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• Sept & Oct: Fall Focus (submit by Saturday 31st Oct)
• The £10,000 Grand Finale (submit by Monday 30th November)
• Nov & Dec: End 2026 strong (submit by Thursday 31st Dec)

You don’t have to be at your goal to enter! Entering each time will keep you motivated and on track to achieving your goal. And, if you are already at your goal and maintaining your weight loss, you can enter too!

It’s free to enter, you can join at any time and you can submit every 2 months, if you wish. Winners are announced 6 times a year. And don’t forget about our £10,000 grand finale in November 2026, in which the overall winner of the year will walk away with £10k cash.