‘Being a busy mum, I think it’s difficult to sit down and find time for yourself to eat, so I just would snack throughout the day.’
A busy mum-of-seven has revealed how making minor adjustments to her everyday schedule has enabled her to lose 13lbs and drop up to two dress sizes within half a year. And what’s more, she achieved this without abandoning her favourite foods.
Laurien Perkins, from Kent, claims using the Simple weight loss app daily has enabled her to develop greater awareness of her dietary patterns, increase her water consumption and carve out moments for physical activity while managing family responsibilities, baking and house renovations. Currently, new subscribers can secure 80 per cent off weight loss programmes with Simple by applying the code REACH.
“I wanted a manageable way to get back on track after I had a baby and I wanted it to be seamless to my everyday life – that is what it’s become,” she says. “Being a busy mum, I think it’s difficult to sit down and find time for yourself to eat, so I just would snack throughout the day.”
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Instead of adhering to a limiting diet, Laurien started using Simple to monitor her meals, snacks, beverages and intermittent fasting schedule. To access the application, individuals simply complete a questionnaire and Simple constructs a tailored programme, featuring handy tools including meal recording via typing, voice or photograph; an intermittent fasting monitor; a NutriScanner, which aims to assist users in comprehending the nutritional content in dishes; and regular exercise routines, incorporating yoga, pilates, HIIT, walking, Tai Chi, as reported by Mirror.
“I didn’t have to give anything up,” she says. “I have found that eating throughout my fasting window has just been great for me and I’ve not changed what I eat. But I do find that it changes you in a really good way – it makes you eat better without even realising.”
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Half a year on, she says the results have been impossible to ignore. She said: “I have lost 13lbs, which to me is just amazing. It wasn’t necessarily something I had to do, but it was something that I really wanted to do for myself and it’s just helped me in so many ways.
“My clothing has dropped between one to two sizes, and it’s without even having to put any effort in. Everything just fits so much nicer – that’s just that nice feeling of actually fitting your clothes, not your clothes fitting you.”
Laurien relies on the app every day to track her food and water consumption, while its AI coach, Avo, assists her in discovering new recipes and meal inspiration. “I think Avo’s amazing, it’s so helpful – with recipes and things. It’ll give you some different ideas of meals and I find that really helpful,” she explains.
A particularly impressive element of Simple is its built-in coach, Avo. Driven by artificial intelligence, Avo functions as a personal wellness companion that can respond to queries instantly, giving users round-the-clock access to health and fitness guidance whenever they need it.
Laurien has also added more walking and gentler workouts, including wall Pilates and chair yoga, to her regime. She continued: “I would say most of my workouts or exercise are walking based, but it helps me to get up and out to finish my steps for the day.
“Me and my family love to be outdoors, so it’s helpful for that because if I see that I haven’t reached my steps for the day, then I will to say to the children, ‘Should we get up and go for a walk?'”
‘My energy levels are much better’
Beyond shedding pounds, Laurien says she’s witnessed improvements in her vitality and rest. “I will find my energy levels are so much better than before. I just don’t feel bogged down, I always feel just energetic and ready. I sleep a lot better, too,” she says.
Looking back on her journey, she continues: “It’s helped me have a nicer relationship with food and a healthier relationship with food. It’s helped my children with that. too. It’s given me more energy, it’s made me realise that dieting doesn’t need to be strict, it can be flexible and it can just fit into your life, not your life fit into it.”
Alternative platforms to try
Alternatively, there’s MyFitnessPal – a calorie monitoring tool and BMI calculator created to assist people in achieving their goals and recording their nutritional consumption. It costs roughly £15.99 monthly, though some complimentary features are accessible on the app.
Another option worth considering is Noom, a weight management platform that champions mindful eating over restrictive dieting. Backed by solid science, Noom provides extensive support to its users, claiming to create ‘fun’ tailored programmes for individuals – with costs varying depending on the chosen plan. Noom states its goal is to ’empower people everywhere to lead better, healthier lives – and not just our members’.
What do users think of Simple
Users of Simple have taken to Trustpilot to share their experiences, with one reviewer commenting: “This app is one of the easiest ones to see if your food is on target without counting calories. It also reminds you when your eating window that you chose starts and ends. I must say, it’s worth picking a coach. Really positive experience and gives you ideas on how to tweak what you eat to make it better for a balanced meal.”
Another satisfied user documented their progress, writing: “Absolutely amazing app. I have lost over one stone using this. There is always help at hand when I have my struggles. The app is very easy to use. Love it!”
Meanwhile, one reviewer highlighted areas for improvement, noting: “Honestly, a super supportive app that doesn’t make me feel bad if I miss a day or something. I do wish it had more options for drinks (lemonade, for example, is hard to track accurately) or an option to write in a drink or activities. Otherwise, it’s great.”
One user, however, was full of praise for the app’s customer service, commenting: “Results are key in my five-star review. The excellent customer service is a huge plus; and the intuitive, interactive interface actively encourages users to try harder, without shaming. A few tweaks to customisation (diet options, exercise editing) will give an even richer experience! Thank you, Simple!”