Daz's story

What was your reason for joining Nutracheck?

My main reason was obviously to lose weight, but I also felt like my clothes were getting too tight. I was in XXL tops and pushing towards 38" waist, and I found bending down to tie my shoe laces was getting hard. Things like running up the stairs got me out of breath and I just really didn't like the way I looked in the mirror.

How much weight have you lost in total and how long has it taken you?

At my heaviest I was 16st 5lbs229lbs103.8kg, which was classed as obese for me 5ft 9" frame. I've now lost 42lb in 20 weeks and weigh in at 13st 5lbs now.

What's been the key to your success?

One word - 'willpower'. Not one day in 20 weeks did I go over my calorie allowance and I did plenty of exercise. On Mondays I went spinning, burning 600 calories in a 45 mins session. On Wednesdays I ran 3/4 miles burning around 500 calories in 35 mins and on Fridays I did spinning again. I also did quite a bit of dog walking in between. I always aimed to eat my 5 a day and drink my 8 glasses of water too. It really is about willpower and not losing focus. If you do this you can just sit back and reap the rewards and compliments.

What are your top three pieces of advice?

My top three pieces of advice would be:

1. Stay focused
2. Do plenty of exercise
3. Don't stop eating the foods you love. This just makes you crave them even more, so just aim to eat everything in moderation.

How easy was it to fit the diet into your lifestyle?

Very easy! I still ate all the foods I love, but I just made sure I didn't eat as much of them so I could stick within my allowance. We all need a treat now and again and Nutracheck doesn't stop you eating anything. This is one of the main reasons I think it's been a success for me.

I look much younger now I've lost weight!

Have there been any success milestones?

There have been a few points throughout my weight loss where I have felt great. Getting back into a 32" waist pair of jeans was one - not been that size for 20 years. Being able to run 4 miles and not keel over felt great. I also really enjoyed buying a brand new wardrobe full of medium sized tops. Oh and not forgetting being able to tie my shoe laces without it hurting!

How do you feel now compared to before you started?

I feel like a million dollars now! I feel great in all my clothes now and also feel so much fitter now. I get lots of compliments off people telling me how great I look and what a great job I've done. Another boost is when people don't believe me when I tell them I'm a grandad - I look much younger now I've lost weight!

What do you think is hardest - losing or maintaining?

I'd have to say maintaining. Given that I lost 40lb in 20 weeks, averaging 2lb a week, and only had 2 weeks during that period where I didn't lose anything - losing weight was quite straightforward for me. Maintaining a healthy weight will be the real challenge. I found that I had my biggest loses after the weeks where I lost nothing, so my advice would be to not get discouraged and to just keep going.

Now I'm maintaining I weigh every morning. I do this to ensure my exercise and food intake is well balanced and my weight is maintained. Depending on my weigh in I can adjust my food and exercise accordingly.

How much does your maintenance weight fluctuate by?

I've been at my target for 3 weeks now and I've stayed the same except for a small 0.5lb fluctuation.

If you were to gain a few pounds what would you do?

Nutracheck is my best friend now. So if the time comes where I do go it alone and I find my weight is creeping up, I'll be straight back here to put it right - you're not getting rid of me that easily!

Any top tips for someone who has just hit their goal?

To be honest I think anyone that has just hit their goal won't need tips from me - because they've managed to do what they set out to do. All I would say is 'well done and doesn't it feel great!'.