From Struggle to Success: Rachael Loses 10 Stone* & Wins £1000 in our Transformation Challenge!
In the bustling world of personal transformations and health revolutions, Rachael’s journey stands out as a beacon of inspiration and practical wisdom. Managing a busy secondhand furniture shop by day, Rachael found herself overwhelmed by the demands of work and the challenges of maintaining a healthy weight. Her story is not just about shedding pounds; it’s a profound saga of overcoming life-long weight struggles, influenced by family health histories and personal challenges. This year, Rachael achieved a remarkable milestone, losing over 10 stone and winning £1000 cash in the September – October Fall Focus Transformation Challenge.
In an engaging conversation with Customer Experience/Journey Manager Cat, Rachael shares her compelling narrative from managing life’s ups and downs, to discovering and thriving on The New You Plan—a simple, yet effective diet strategy that transformed her life. Join us as Rachael recounts her path to health, revealing not only the physical but also the emotional and psychological milestones she encountered along the way.
Cat: How did you feel when you found out you were the overall winner?
Rachael: Well, I had been in work by myself all day. So it was a hectic day. I manage a secondhand furniture shop, and I had someone call in sick. So I had to send my person that was going be on the front desk out in the vans, and so I was running the shop by myself. So it was a perfect end to a crazy day.
Getting started…
Cat: What led to you starting The New You Plan?
Rachael: I’ve been overweight most of my life. Mum put me on my first diet when I was about 10. She took me to a health class designed for children and their parents. It was good – it taught you about food and calories and exercise and all that kind of stuff. But I’ve always had that stigma ever since then. My mum has struggled with her weight all her adult life too. I’ve always been an active person, so usually fairly physically fit. So that was never a struggle. I always call myself a “fit-fat”. I played softball, bowled, did ballet, I did all sorts of stuff. I was a very active person. Obviously, once I had kids, that changed a little bit. After I had my first son, I lost quite a bit of weight. But then I got pregnant fairly quickly and gained it all back. And then, of course, with two kids, it was busy. I’ve been up and down in weight ever since. But as of right now, I am the lowest weight in my adult life.
My dad passed away about seven and a half years ago. I had lost weight with a diet I had just been on, but I was already starting to put it back on again. Then my dad died really suddenly of a massive heart attack. He had undiagnosed heart disease. He was only 62, so still quite young. He had type 2 diabetes, as did his mum, a couple of his brothers and my grandfather on my mum’s side so that’s always been in my head.
After my kids did their GCSEs, I decided to go back to work, which was nice because I got back into a routine. I tried calorie counting last summer and I lost about 3 stone but I put it back on again. I got tired and worn out from having to calorie count, weigh and measure everything. Having to do all of that work when you’re so busy at work, is mental exhaustion.
I went to a wedding a little over a year ago back in the US, for a cousin and my mom was at the wedding. Over COVID, she really let herself go, to the point that she didn’t leave the house for pretty much two years. She had all her food delivered. She could work from home so that was fine, but that meant she wasn’t getting up off her chair for two years. And, basically, her muscles deteriorated a bit. She gained a ton of weight. And when I saw her, she could barely walk. She had to use a cane. She had just turned 68 and I knew I didn’t want to turn into this. It scared me. I already had my dad’s health issues on my mind.
When I got home, I started researching diets. I wasn’t quite there mentally, but I knew I needed to do something at that point. So I obviously knew of all the different options like Slimming World and Weight Watchers but I’ve tried those before and they didn’t work. And, again, it’s weighing and measuring and meal planning and counting calories.
So I looked into keto and various options and I came across The New You Plan. I looked at it, the sheer variety of what was available, how easy it was. Simply drink water, have your packs, done. It seemed like the most simple thing in the world. I thought it was too good to be true. So I decided it was worth a try. I liked the variety of the flavours, all the research on the website, the information and the do’s and the don’ts. The New You Plan was the one that makes the most sense.
Cat: How did you find the first week?
Rachael: I was expecting the withdrawal headaches but as long as I kept my water up and took paracetamol, I was fine. On day 5, I was at work, and I just literally bounding down the hallway. I had so much energy, and the headaches went. I felt really good about it right away. I think I lost 11lbs in my first week.
New You: What are your favourite meals and snacks?
Rachael: Mexican Tacos are of my favourites. And this one’s controversial because some people love it, some people hate it – it’s like Marmite – the Vegetable Risotto. I love the creaminess of it. I’m a chilli fiend and I add some to most of my meals. Obviously, everyone’s taste varies, and that’s one thing I love about The New You Plan, is that I feel there’s something for everyone.
This American is very, very happy about the new American Ranch Tortilla Chips. It is literally the best ranch flavoured item I have had in a very long time since leaving the US. I approve!!
Well, my husband has been so impressed with it too. He actually has followed it for a few months and lost 20lbs. So not officially. He’s just having some of my packs. He struggled with his weight as a child. When he was about 16 lost about 5 stone. His waist was 28-30” when we got married, so he was quite slim, but basically he has that 40-year-old spread and he just wanted to lose that bit of belly. Now that he’s gotten to his goal weight, he is maintaining with a mixture of New You packs and regular foods.
Life changing results…
Cat: When did you mindset shift and you realised that you could do this?
Rachael: I think that fifth day where I had that energy boost and just the simplicity of it. When you start and you’re eating the packs, you think that it’s a small amount of food and you’ll be hungry. And literally from day 5, I wasn’t hungry. And I’m thinking, wow. I can see this happening long term. As I was getting close to the 12 week mark where I knew I needed to do my re-feed, I didn’t want to stop because I was enjoying it so much!
Cat: What’s been your favourite non-scale victory so far?
Rachael: I did re-feed before a trip to the Netherlands with my son. At that point, I’d lost 6 stone and I was able to get on the airplane without a seat belt extender for the first time in a very long time. Our family loves to travel. So just the fact I could get an airplane, not have a seat belt extender, keep up with my son walking almost ten miles a day, was just like, wow.
For years, I was addicted to Diet Coke before the plan. I knew that during refeed I could have one again if I wanted, but I decided not to. I brought my Water Flavourings with me on our trip instead. I haven’t had Diet Coke since New Year’s Day, which is massive as someone who used to drink 3-4 500ml bottles everyday. And I don’t miss it. So breaking that addition has been massive for me.
Reflecting on the plan…
Cat: If you could go back to the beginning, what piece of advice would you offer yourself?
Rachael: Don’t want until 1st of January to do it. I always say, I wish I found it sooner.
And that the the great thing about The New You Plan is no matter what your lifestyle, it can fit into it. I mean, even the beauty of Switch – the maintenance programme .The tools are there to lose weight and keep it off. They’ve done all the hard work for you, so there’s nothing to think about. Just do it. You know?!
But also, don’t second guess it. I I think that’s a powerful powerful statement to tell yourself. Don’t second guess it!
Cat: How has your mindset changed since being on plan?
Rachael: About a month or so ago, I did get a promotion, to manage the shop. I was already assistant manager, but funny enough from the get go of becoming assistant manager, I always told my manager – because he was amazing – that if he left, I was leaving with him. ! was like, I don’t want your position. So when he actually told me, look. I’m going. He told me I had to decide. Did I want the position or not?
And I I had some qualms at first and things like that, but I think succeeding in this has helped me realise I actually can do a lot more than I think.
And, yeah, I it took! I still mauled it over for several days, but, I realised I could. And, I’m a month and a half into it now, and it’s going well. I’m just very proud of myself. That’s such a huge, pinch me moment that it’s been success after success this year.
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!!
In January, we kicked off our BIGGEST EVER giveaway – the £100K Transformation Challenge – where every two months, we’ve awarded £7,000 in cash prizes! Each round, one overall winner bagged £3,000 cash, while four runners-up each won £1,000. That’s not all – our customers have also enjoyed dieting for FREE, with £52,000 worth of products up for grabs simply by sharing photos of their transformation journeys.
But we’re not done yet! 2024 isn’t over, which means there’s still a massive £17,000 in cash waiting to be won between now and Christmas.
Transformation Challenge – Your Final Chances to Enter:
- £10K GRAND FINALE – Submit by 30th November
- Nov & Dec: End 2024 Strong – Submit by 31st December
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!
The £10,000 Grand Finale
And now, for the grandest prize of all: Our £10,000 Grand Finale!
One extraordinary individual will be crowned the overall transformation champion of the year, and with that title comes the life-changing reward of £10,000 cash, in your bank account, before Christmas!!
But it’s not just about the prize – it’s about recognising the dedication, effort, and transformation you’ve achieved. Whether you’ve shed pounds, gained confidence, seen a massive improvement to your health, completed a once unimaginable goal or completely revitalised your lifestyle, this is your chance to celebrate your hard work in a big way.
If you’ve been transforming your body, mind, and life with The New You Plan, this is your opportunity to shine. Imagine how it would feel to not only reach your goals but also be recognised as our top success story of the year. The spotlight could be on you, inspiring others on their own journeys.
