Laurien made a simple change to her daily routine. (Image: Simple)
A busy mum has revealed how she lost 13lbs and dropped dress sizes ‘without putting any effort in’. Laurien Perkins, from Kent, says she achieved this in six months by making small changes to her everyday routine and without having to sacrifice her favourite foods.
The mum-of-seven credits the Simple weight loss app for helping her develop greater awareness of her eating habits, increase her water consumption and carve out time for physical activity while managing family responsibilities, baking and home renovations. Simple is currently offering new users can 80% off weight loss plans with the discount 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,” Laurien 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.”
Instead of adhering to a restrictive diet, Laurien – who runs the YouTube channel OrdinaryEnglishMum – started using Simple to monitor her meals, snacks, drinks and her intermittent fasting schedule. To access the app, users simply take a quiz to receive a tailored plan, featuring helpful tools including food logging and an intermittent fasting tracker.
There’s also a NutriScanner designed to assist users in comprehending the nutritional content of meals and daily exercise routines, encompassing yoga, pilates, HIIT, walking and Tai Chi, reports the Mirror.
“I didn’t have to give anything up,” Laurien 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.”
After six months, she found the transformation had been ‘amazing’, saying: “I’ve 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 Simple app every day to track her food and water consumption, while its AI coach, Avo, helps her find recipes and meal inspiration.
Laurien’s transformation after using the Simple app. (Image: Simple)
“I think Avo’s amazing,” she said. “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.
Avo is Simple’s AI-powered in-app coach, serving as a personal wellness companion that can respond to queries instantly, giving users round-the-clock access to health and fitness guidance whenever required. Laurien has also introduced more walking and low-impact exercises into her regime, including wall Pilates and chair yoga.
She says: “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?'”
Laurien after using the Simple app. (Image: Simple)
Beyond shedding the pounds, Laurien reports noticeable improvements in both her energy and sleep quality, adding: “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.”
Casting her mind back over her journey with the Simple app, she says: “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.”
For those seeking an alternative, MyFitnessPal offers a calorie-tracking and BMI calculator tool designed to help users achieve their goals while monitoring their nutritional consumption. A subscription costs around £15.99 per month, but some features are available for free.
Another option is Noom, a weight management platform centred on mindful eating rather than restrictive dieting. Thoroughly research-based, it provides extensive support to its users, claiming to create ‘fun’ personalised courses for individuals — with pricing varying according to the chosen plan and the person.
Laurien says she has noticed improvements in her energy levels and sleep. (Image: Simple)
Users of the Simple app have shared their opinions on Trustpilot, with one saying: “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 said: “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.”
One individual outlined what improvements they’d like to see, saying: “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 customer service, saying: “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.”
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This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
