“I’ve gone from cookie monster to fat fighter and I feel amazing!”

Michelle, 47-year-old support worker from Longton, struggled with her weight for decades. Working late shifts and long hours was causing her to reach for the biscuit barrel late at night instead of preparing proper meals for herself. Now, with help from the Bodyline Clinic, she’s learned to keep to a calorie-controlled diet and is three stone lighter than previously.

“I’ve had problems with my weight for as long as I can remember, but working long shifts as a support worker I developed the habit of stumbling home exhausted at stupid o’clock and giving into my sugar and caffeine cravings, instead of preparing myself a nutritional meal in the evenings.

“Since the coronavirus outbreak, my job has become even more stressful. The usual routine has gone completely out of the window and I’m doing things that don’t usually fall into my day-to-day schedule so that we can continue to support vulnerable adults that need our help. It’s become even more tough to deal with patients who are themselves experiencing higher levels of stress due to being out of routine. By the end of a shift I feel completely run into the ground. I simply can’t be bothered to cook, and once I have cooked I can’t be bothered to eat what I’ve plated up because all I can think about it washing up and tidying all the mess away before settling down – all I want is a barrel full of biscuits and black coffee!”

Discovering Bodyline Clinic

“A group of us at work decided to get together in December and join our local Bodyline Clinic in Stoke. The first couple of months of going to clinic together was brilliant and we provided the support and motivation for each other to stay on track. The Bodyline nurses were amazing too – they answered all of our questions and we all felt like we were in safe hands. I was prescribed phentermine tablets and straight away I began to see the results.

“I had been part of other local slimming groups before, but I had always struggled to resist the urge to reach for unhealthy food late at night. The phentermine tablets were just what I needed to keep my appetite under control and stop my evening binging. I no longer felt the need to stuff myself silly when I got home. As my weight started to drop, I was more and more determined to reach my target, and I felt much less sluggish and tired.

“Lockdown didn’t stop my colleagues and I from losing weight and staying on track! Bodyline Flex was a brilliant service that allowed us to book remote consultations with nurses. And the medication was sent straight to our door so that we didn’t lose momentum whilst clinics were closed.

“We also set up a “fat fighters” WhatsApp group, where we send each other daily motivation, recipes and tips, as well as staying in touch during the pandemic. I don’t know how we would have done it without the technology to stay connected and utilise the medication from home.

My Bodyline Plan

“Six months on, I’ve lost just over three stone and I’m the queen of meal prep and calorie counting! I feel much healthier and can work through a full day of my active job without feeling completely out of energy.

“Instead of eating unhealthy, calorific biscuits all day every day, I start off with a healthy, well-balanced breakfast of a 47-calorie slice of bread with my favour jams, or an overnight oat mixture full of fruit. Lunch is almost always a salad, and I’m enjoying vegetables more and more each day!

“My dreaded biscuit barrel now only contains 99 calorie biscuits and treats, and I’m tracking everything I eat on my new fitness app – I always stick around the 1200 calorie mark. My family and friends have been so supportive as the weight has dropped off, so I’ve found it so easy to stay on track! I’m being complemented all the time and I’m finally feeling confident in my own body.

“I’m sure that my new eating habits will be here to stay, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds with Bodyline!”