Louise lost 5 stones in 39 weeks, using the female Diet Plate and the support of Club Diet Plate.

This is Louise before she owned a Diet Plate.

And after

As a child, I was always skinny. I did ice-skating, dancing, swimming, gymnastics and, unlike today’s children, played out with my friends. I do think that some of the seeds which caused my overeating were sown during my childhood though.

My parents divorced when I was less than a year old. At some point I was told that it was my fault- if I had been a girl my father wouldn’t have strayed. My mum remarried when I was 6 and I soon had a sister and later a brother. My brother, who had downs syndrome was a ray of sunshine and I was his favourite. Unfortunately when he was three, not long after we had moved from Blackpool to Preston, my sister and I contracted pneumonia; he caught it and died. In their grief the family blamed me because I’d developed the pneumonia. Life was very difficult for a while.

At 18, I met my future husband. We were both a little naïve and within a couple of months, when I should have been going off to university, I was pregnant. This is when my problems with weight really started.

My figure never really recovered from pregnancy. I also felt that I was a major disappointment to my parents. We were too young to be parents, we were still only children ourselves- each living with our respective parents. This put a lot of strain on the relationship. We stuck it out and eventually got married but it certainly wasn’t plain sailing. My husband didn’t like me going out or having friends and was constantly telling me that I was fat ugly and lazy. I tried every diet and weight-loss club around and yes, they worked for a while but as soon as I stopped following the regime I put it all back on and more besides. Twice, I lost over 4 stones but it came back again.

As our family grew we wanted a bigger house and car, and all that comes at a cost. My husband was working long hours and so was very tired an irritable when he got home. I could do nothing right. It was really only when I met someone at work, who seemed to really like me, that I realised how miserable I was- no matter how much I loved my husband he just couldn’t love me back. With the encouragement of this person, I separated from my husband, at which time this other guy backed off and didn’t want to know, now that I was no longer unattainable. We got divorced and I moved back to Blackpool. I still love my ex and am pleased to report that he is now happily re-married, though I do feel terribly guilty for separating my children from their dad.

Since then I have lurched from one disastrous relationship to another. I have also had to change jobs due to being bullied. All these things caused me to pile on the pounds.

In 2010, I met a chap on the internet and started dating. Unfortunately he lived in Essex and I’m in Blackpool. He would come over and stay for several days at a time. He had a serious weight problem too, though the difference is that he didn’t recognise it. When he was staying over, our lives revolved around cafes, restaurants and takeaways. In one visit to the supermarket we would visit the café three times! An average Saturday would involve him taking me to work and getting a bacon, egg and sausage barmcake plus two vanilla slices from the bakers shop near my work. He would then go home and stop at the takeaway van for another bacon sandwich or two. When he picked me up at lunchtime we would go straight to the supermarket where he would get a hot lunch. Halfway round the supermarket he would go back to the café for a couple of toasted teacakes and then before we left he would have coffee and cake. We would eat out at his favourite all you can eat Chinese, Indian and Thai buffet for tea. And inbetween all of this he would snack on sweets and crisps. One weekend he polished of a 24 pack of walkers crisps in two days. I didn’t try to keep up but as you can imagine the weight piled on.

During the Easter holidays 2011, my daughters and I enjoyed a few days away, in Chester and in Harrogate. My daughters, who are 22 and 14 and who are both size 8, are real bargain hunters and found loads of lovely clothes in the sale. I drove them mad moaning and whining that they don’t do nice clothes in fat size! Eventually they got so fed up with me that they told me to shut up moaning and to do something about it. They were right it was time for a change.

I looked at what foods I enjoyed eating and decided that my biggest problem was not what I was eating (I have always loved vegetables and salads), but the quantities in which I ate it. I needed help with portion control. As soon as we got home I started to look online for something to help and came across The Diet Plate® on Amazon. I read the reviews and was convinced enough to give it a try. I ordered my plate and bowl on 27/04/2011. It arrived a couple of days later and I started using it May. I’ve not looked back.

I tried to convince the boyfriend to get one too but he said that at 28 stone (more like 30+) he didn’t need to lose weight.

I have found using the plate really easy. There’s no weighing or measuring- just fit the foods between the lines. If I can do it anyone can. I have also made a point of posting a weekly update on the forum as not only does this help to keep me focused I hope that it might inspire others too. I know that when I started there were members posting who inspired me.

I am now 5 stone lighter…35 if you include losing the boyfriend….and I have not felt this good in a long time. I am still getting used to the compliments that I keep receiving- I find these a bit alien, having been fat for so long.

My mum has now bought a plate as has my cousin, I’m sure that as long as they keep using it they will be as successful, with it, as I have been.

I still have a stone left to lose but I know that I’ll get there and this time I’m certain that I won’t be putting it all back on.