Mr & Mrs Slim Down: Rachel & Jamie Lose an Incredible 13st 9lbs Stone Together!
When it comes to weight loss, teamwork really does make the dream work – and husband-and-wife duo Rachel and Jamie are living proof. After years of struggling with their health and confidence, they decided to take on The New You Plan together, supporting (and sometimes competing with!) each other every step of the way. The result? A combined loss of 13st 9lbs – with Rachel shedding 9st 1lb and Jamie 4st 8lbs.
The couple’s journey has not only seen them transform their bodies but also their daily lives, giving them the energy, freedom, and confidence to embrace new adventures as a couple. In this Mr & Mrs style interview, we catch up with the duo to get their thoughts on pairing up, goals and the life changing results of their weight loss.
What inspired you both to start the New You Plan together as a couple?
Rachel: I was utterly miserable and desperate to make some changes and lose weight. My physical and mental health was in the toilet and we had a big, expensive trip to Alaska booked. I had done a similar plan in the past with great results, so I knew it would work for me.
The variety of meals on NYP was super appealing, as was the range of snacks! I am a very snack oriented person. I wanted Jamie to join me on this journey as I knew he wanted to lose weight and was unhappy with his physical appearance. So I persuaded him to try it for a while and see if it was a good fit. It seemed like a simple solution to our problem.
Jamie: It made sense for us to do something together. We wanted to motivate each other and keep each other on track. I was very unhappy with how I looked and really needed to do something to change my habits and improve my health. I wasn’t keen on doing TFR, which Rachel loves. So after some badgering from Rachel, I settled on Switch which has really worked for me.
How were you both feeling before starting the plan?
Rachel: Exhausted, mostly. It is a total drain on every aspect of your life when you are so very, very overweight. Everything takes so much extra effort, physically and mentally. The physical side is apparent because carrying around so much extra weight is an obvious burden. But people do not realise the mental exertion required – you are always assessing if you can sit in that chair, or if there are stairs at a location, if the cafe or restaurant has booths or if the gap between tables is enough, what people are thinking or saying about you.
Before we went anywhere, I would research what the place looked like, how far the walk might be, what the chairs looked like, how busy it might be. As a result, we often didn’t go to many places because it was just too much to deal with. We missed out on things because of it.
Jamie: Tired, unhappy, and in pain most of the time. Walking was a huge effort. But resting was also a challenge because I could never get comfortable, sitting or lying down. Mentally, I was conscious of my size at all times, knowing that I was the heaviest I had ever been.
How much weight have you lost so far, and what are your individual goal weights?
Rachel: As of today, I’ve lost 9st 1lb. I haven’t decided on a goal weight – I want to see how my body feels as I progress and not worry too much about the destination. I have made the mistake in the past of focusing only on the end goal and not about how I am feeling or the lessons learned. As a result I have set myself up for failure. That being said, I would like to lose another 5st and then reassess.
Jamie: So far, I have lost 4 stone 8lbs. I would like to get to 15 stone.
Rachel: I think that was the weight you were when we met – 24 years ago!
How did your first week on the plan go? Describe the highs and lows – was it what you expected?
Rachel: It was hard! There is no point in sugarcoating it, because that first week was brutal. I knew it would be, and the reality did not disappoint. Our diet before was atrocious (a lot of sugar, high fat, carbs, and caffeine – I have a real coffee problem!) and with a high reliance on delivery apps. So the withdrawal from all that in the first week hit hard. I knew that if we could get past four days then we were on to a winner. And after a few false starts, we got there! We just needed to climb that incredibly steep metaphorical hill first.
Once we got past the first few days, that weird feeling – that ketosis “high”, kicked in and I was flying.
Jamie: It was not easy. It took us a few tries to get started properly. We are both terrible enablers when it comes to food. So, trying to break that cycle and not give in when the other was wanting food was hard work. It still is hard, some days!
Do you feel more motivated working together? How do you support each other?
Rachel: It is so much easier doing this together. Jamie has chosen Switch, but he is very respectful with the food side of things. He shops and cooks everything himself so I don’t have to handle any conventional food. We’ve been going through some rough family stuff recently and Jamie has been a real help making my meals for me when I need it, and also cooking for others so that I don’t have to. I also like the competition!
You could say that I have an unfair advantage being on TFR, but men lose weight faster, so it evens out! I am definitely winning the weight loss “race”! When we started, there was almost 6st between us, but I have caught up and am now only 18lbs away from matching his weight. You might say that I am very competitive!
Jamie: There is a bit of competition, but with us both working towards the same goal, it has been much easier to stay on track. We both have days when we want to throw in the towel, but I know we can rely on each other to stay on track. I have learned that if Rachel wants to stray, then putting the onus back on her to make the decision to eat means she backtracks and sticks with the plan. Rachel can be very single-minded, which is a huge benefit when trying to stick with TFR – I don’t know how she does it!
What have been your favourite meals or snacks that you can’t live without on the plan?
Jamie: Apple and White Chocolate Bar. I’m glad it’s back in stock!
Rachel Salted Caramel Cake (as a cake or preferably as ice cream), Mexican Tacos and Omelette, Blackcurrant Water Flavouring, the new Cherry Lemonade Electrolytes, and Bacon or Ranch Crisps. Any of the crisps in fact!
How has your life changed since starting the plan?
Rachel: I still have a long way to go on this journey, but the changes have been innumerable already. Daily living is so much easier – from getting out of bed in the morning to doing the housework, through to shopping, travelling, climbing the stairs in our apartment building, and just existing each day is way less effort. Mentally, I’m less tied up in the constant thoughts about manoeuvring though life as a super plus-sized person. I worry less about fitting in (or breaking) chairs, squeezing through crowds, or even doing something as simple as going to the dentist. There have also been a lot of changes that only I would notice, like not having to squeeze out of the way of the shower door, or having more space on the sofa.
There are some negatives though – I am more concerned about my appearance these days, and it takes me 3-5 business days to get ready to go out!
Jamie: Physically, I can move around easier, and people’s positive comments have made me feel better about myself. Sometimes it’s hard to recognise how far you have come yourself when you look in the mirror, but we’ve been looking though some old photos which has helped me see how my body has changed. There’s definitely more room on the sofa! Our legs used to touch when we both sat down, but now there’s about 8 inches of space.
What has being on the plan taught each of you so far?
Jamie: Portion control and better awareness of calories in foods. For example, I was shocked by the recommended portion size of a cube of cheese. It should not be quarter of a block grated on to dinner! I use the scales to weigh out my portions now to make sure I am eating what I think I’m eating, calorie-wise. I’m also trying hard to work on moderation, which is where I think we fail a lot. It’s OK to have a “treat” or an off day, but do so in moderation and don’t make it a lifestyle choice. It was my birthday this past week, and I did indulge, but I made sure that it was for that day and didn’t slip into a week – or month – long binge.
Rachel: I wasn’t blind to our poor choices before, but I have become more acutely aware of it since we started on this journey. Also, how my innate stubbornness and tenacity can be a good thing – I credit both to keeping me on track.
What are you most looking forward to once you reach your goals?
Jamie: Being healthy and in less pain! Not having to worry about suffocating myself when I sleep.
Rachel: Less pain for sure. But lots of superficial things too, like buying a vintage reproduction dress from a stockist who doesn’t stock past a size 18, or wearing a pair of heels. We’re going to Hawaii in February and I’m hoping that we will climb Diamond Head on Oahu, and take a helicopter trip to some Jurassic Park filming locations.
Jamie: Yes, the helicopter ride has been a big motivator. We definitely would not have been able to do that at our heaviest.
What is the nicest compliment you’ve received since losing weight?
Jamie: A friend noticed that I had lost a lot of weight and asked if I had been on the weight loss jabs. He was very impressed when I said that I had done it without the jabs and that I looked great.
Rachel: This is a hard one as I feel awkward when people comment on my body, or if I can feel that they want to comment on it, without an invitation to do so. When you say you’ve lost “this much”, you can mentally see people trying to work out how much you used to weigh. Losing weight is so often mixed in with feelings from others about their own appearance, and some “compliments” are definitely backhanded. I think the best compliments are those we give ourselves, because that’s what matters in the end. Although, someone said the other day that “stress looks good on you” – I was not sure how to take that!
If you could go back in time to when you started, what advice would you give yourselves?
Rachel: Use all the tools at your disposal. Post in the Secret Slimmers group – even if you fail, they know what you’re going through. Eat the snacks!
Jamie: It gets easier after the first week!
Rachel: Yes! If you can survive that first week you can do ANYTHING!
Ready to start your own journey?
Ready to write your own success story? Whether you’re starting fresh or about to hit maintenance, The New You Plan has everything you need to stay on track, feel in control, and fall in love with the journey. Join us today and discover the new you!
Need a Little More Motivation? Join Our 2025 £52K Cash Transformation Story Challenge!
Inspired by Rachel and Jamie’s incredible journey? It’s time to write your own success story! Our 2025 Transformation Story Challenge continues, with an astounding £52,000 in cash prizes up for grabs!
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! 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!
Customers can enter any or ALL of the following challenges:
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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!
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