After a health scare, Chris knew she had to make real, long-lasting, changes. In 2020 she found MoreLife in Bedfordshire. One year later, we caught up with her to see how we helped changed her life.

My weight impacted so much of my life – from shopping for clothes to getting up the stairs. The worst thing was how much it knocked my confidence. I really wanted to make changes. I had tried so many diets, you name one and I’ve probably done it. However, within a month of stopping them, most – if not all – of the weight would come back on.

I ended up in A&E in an ambulance at 2.30am I thought I was having a heart attack. The doctor told me it was acid reflux and I needed to lose weight.

I had always wanted to make changes, but that was the moment when I knew I had to make them – ones that would last this time.

I wanted to start eating sensibly and avoid foods that could trigger my acid reflux. I saw the MoreLife programme and thought it was going to get me on track and keep me motivated.

The best part of the programme was the support from the team and my group. The handbook was amazing too.

The team taught me so much about food. It wasn’t just what how food impacted my body, but why I wanted to eat certain foods. Nothing was banned or considered “bad” and I could still enjoy what I ate. I was never told “don’t eat this.”

It was this way of thinking that helped me keep going after the 12 weeks of the programme. Where other diets had let me down in this past, this time was different. I was in control and I knew I could keep the weight off.

I didn’t just learn about food; I was also encouraged to get active. I do so much walking now. When I first started walking, I could do 3k and felt exhausted. Whereas now I can walk 10 or 15k easily.

When I’ve met up with people I haven’t seen since lockdown, they don’t recognise me. I’ve been told, “You look amazing. How have you done it?” I tell everybody, “MoreLife. This is the way you’ve got to do it.”

I feel fitter and healthier. I smile more now. I’ve got more confidence. The programme has worked so well for me. If it wasn’t for MoreLife, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

At the start of the programme Chris weighed 89.4kg. At the end of the 12 weeks she had lost 11kg. Since completing the programme, she lost a further 16.4kg.