Tracy Stopped Dieting… and Lost 7 Stone | Slimpod Weight Loss Story

We met with friends a little while ago and she went back and told her sister-in-law how well I'd done. And the next day I get a text, "What diet are you following?" I'm not. "What are you eating?" Low-carb, high-protein. And it was like I had to give them a name and I said to them, "I do SlimPod." But there wasn't a name for the diet because it's in Tracey's head. It's what Tracey's researched and what Tracey feels is better for her. I think I'm not stressing so much about food where before it was like, Right. I've had this, which really wasn't a good idea. And it's sort of like that don't care attitude. And then that might have happened on a Wednesday. So then the whole week goes wrong then until the following Monday, because obviously diets only start on a Monday. I think both physically and mentally, you know, sometimes a day can be horrible, but you know, half an hour out with the dog and life feels a bit better really.

Everybody who's so used to dieting and so used to being on those scales, they just think it's a linear process, and it really isn't. It's, you know, the body does have to have a little rest.

Hi there, I'm Sandra Roycroft-Davis, a Harley Street weight loss specialist, Sunday Times bestselling author, and award-winning creator of the Slimpod program, which works in the same way as weight loss medication but naturally and sustainably. I created SlimPod after overcoming my own struggles with food and self-esteem, and I'm now really proud to say that I've helped over 350,000 people change their habits and break free from dieting for good. In this podcast, you'll hear inspiring conversations with SlimPodders and experts to help you feel empowered supported and in control around food again. And if you enjoyed this, please give it a like, hit subscribe, or share it with somebody. Every action helps more people find the video, and it could really help somebody who needs to see it. Let's get into it.

Tracey, it's just fabulous to have you with me today because you have lost about 7 stone, which is— I don't know how many pounds that is, but it's an awful lot.

Yes, or kilos. It's about 45 kilos, and so that makes it sort of getting towards 100 pounds, doesn't it?

Wow, amazing. So a lot of people will be asking themselves, well, how have you done that? And, uh, and, and have you dieted? Um, and obviously the SlimPod program isn't a diet, uh, but were you a dieter in the past?

Oh, I've tried every single diet that's on the market. I find a lot of them don't cater for me very well because I am vegetarian, and also if I have too many carbs, I find I get really sluggish. So I, since sort of joining SlimPod, I have been more aware of what I eat. I don't weigh and measure anything as such. Occasionally I will measure some grated cheese because my eyes play tricks on me. So, you know, 50 grams of grated cheese, um, sometimes when you actually weigh it could be like 150. So I do, I do every now and again weigh things to see if my eyes are playing trickery on me, but I don't weigh every meal. I'm having so much of this, so much of that, et cetera. Yeah. So, um, but I've just been basically doing high protein, low carb diet. And if I have, do have a carby day, I tend to then find I'm sluggish and I know I've had a carby day, you know, sometimes. I find eating out quite difficult because a lot of vegetarian things are like pasta orientated, that sort of thing. So you, you can't have the, the meat eater steak and veg and that sort of thing. So I do find that's quite tricky. So you just make the best of it, you know, it's the 80/20 rule and that you make the best of it. But I know if I've had too many carbs, I just feel really tired, really sluggish. So it's just what works for me. It's not a diet as such. I just try and sort of stick to that more so than anything else.

Yeah. And so, but is that, that's coming naturally now? You're obviously not following something. You just know what your body responds to.

Yeah. You get, I think, I think as you get older, you get a bit wiser, don't you? You've tried all the fad diets, you know, banana and milk and cauliflower and, you know, and, and, you know, other competitors, you know, classes. I've been to them all. I've been named and shamed in them all. Um, but, um, No, I don't follow a diet as such. We met with friends a little while ago and she went back and told her sister-in-law how well I'd done. And the next day I get a text, what diet are you following? I'm not. What are you eating? Low protein, low, low carb, high protein. And it was like I had to give them a name and I said to them, I do SlimPod, but there wasn't a name for the diet because it's in Tracey's head. It's what Tracey's researched and what Tracey feels is better for her.

Yeah, well, exactly that. And so have you— you've lost 7 stone now. How long did it take you to lose that 7 stone?

I would have said I probably lost, lost a stone of that before, not last Christmas, the Christmas before, and then sort of 6 stone of it roughly, maybe probably 5 and a half stone was throughout last year. So between— I don't— I think end of January, after the Christmas excess last year, it hit me. The wedding is this year, it's in November. My daughter's getting married and I'm going to hate the photographs. So then it was sort of like— and a friend of mine, Sarah, she was doing SlimPod and she recommended it to, to me. And so I then sort of started that and just reining in the rubbish I eat, really, you know, sort of cutting out some of the sweets and crisps and, you know.

Yeah. How was that different though to being on a diet when you talk about cutting out? Because it's— it really, the whole idea behind SlimPod is you're losing the desire. Um, yeah, you don't want it as much. So you, you weren't depriving yourself?

No, no, no, no, no. But I just found that I didn't want it. I mean, I could go to the supermarket and before I would buy something that I shouldn't have and I would have it secretly stashed in a cupboard and have a little bit, you know, here and there. And then since starting SlimPod, I've been— I go to the supermarket and I look at something, I think, oh yeah, I like those, or shall I have one of those? And then this little head, this little voice comes to my head, says, do you need that? And I think, no. And then I end up coming out the supermarket without it. So it's just, I don't know, something stops me from buying, you know, I'm not saying rubbish, but I'm saying, you know, the sort of what I call treat things, you know, which, yeah, okay, moderation. But when you've got no control over moderation, then you need to— if I know it's something like, if I would bring it home and eat the lot and it's something that is, you know, is something I shouldn't have, you know, high calorie, not that we count calories, but something that, you know, I know that's not good for me, then it's better not to buy it. If I haven't got that control to stop at one piece of something, then best not to have it, is it really?

Right. Um, and so you, uh, you had the incentive of the wedding.

Yes.

Uh, and you— what happened?

Well, so, um, I kept— I kept— I saw this outfit I liked on a, um, website And so what you could do is you could order the dress, your dresses in. And I saw this dress I liked, and I'd seen this dress back in February that I liked and sort of kept on and on. And I was losing weight quite quickly, and my daughter was going to be, no, no, leave it a bit longer, don't order yet. And I said, no, no, I've got to order it. I can't not have anything to wear, sort of thing. So I, I said, what you could do is you could order try-on dresses, try them on, and then you— and basically they give you any color, but you just try them on for size and what have you. And the dress I'd fallen in love with was horrible on me. It just looked like a tent. It was vile. So that went back. I got some more dresses, found one I really liked, but it didn't quite fit right because the problem is I've lost a lot from my legs and my hips, but I've still got a lot around my tummy. So, uh, it fitted— didn't fit on the shoulders for the size I needed to go around my tummy. So anyway, so you could have them custom made, so that was fine. So, um, All the measurements were done, all the measurements were double-checked, then waiting the 10 days for the custom dress to come. And we're like probably 2 weeks before the wedding now after all this. So, you know, I haven't got an outfit. And so consequently, um, so the custom— and everybody at work was going to be, right, you've got to stay the same now, you've got to eat a bit more, and you've got to stay the same now, the dress is on the way, you've got to eat a bit more, you know. And I said, but I don't want anymore. And it was just sort of all like— and they were joking, well, you mustn't listen to Trevor anymore then. And I would say to them, I I can't. He helps me go to sleep. I don't know what he says. He could be saying anything to me. And so consequently, then the dress arrived, but it was very much zipped at the back. So it arrived on a day when there was nobody at home. So my poor son come through the door first. He's, he's in his mid-20s. And I said to him, I need your help. I need to try my dress on. And the dress was far too big, wasn't it? So I'd had it custom made. It was really expensive. And it was too big. And then I was trying to find a seamstress. So I got my dress for the wedding, um, 6 days before the event as mother of the bride. So yeah, a seamstress altered it for me. It fitted lovely. I felt a million dollars on the day. It was fine, but it was really, really stressful. I think that's why I had to have December off. I think it was just like the down of stress from this dress. You know, I had something for the evening, do that was fine, that, you know, off-the-shelf sort of thing. I'd seen it, loved it. And that was fine. But my, you know, official outfit for the photographs, it was very, very stressful. But yeah, it came and it was too big and it was sort of like I was texting my friends, my dress has come and it's too big, what am I going to do? Sort of thing, you know. But I've got a work colleague that's really, really supportive. She's gone, wait, don't worry, we can get it sorted out, don't worry, you know. And it's sort of like, oh my gosh, you know. But anyway, it was all fine. The dress fitted lovely on the day, felt really, really good in it. So yeah, I got there.

Amazing. And so with, with this phenomenal weight loss, have you ever lost that amount before or anywhere near it?

I, when I was probably very late teens, very early 20s, I lost about 4 stone then. But over the years and 2 children, it all piled back on and more. So, and I think then you very much at the time I was still living at home. So, you know, you could sort of, you know, if you wanted to go to the gym 10 times a week, you could because you didn't have to think about cooking meals, doing washing, doing housework and all the other things that, you know, don't get me wrong, my family are really good, really supportive. I'm not saying that, but there are a certain amount of things when you're a homeowner that you have to do. And so, so yeah, so but that was with a slimming club at the time. But then they changed all the plan and when I went back years later, it didn't work for me.

Right, interesting. And so how sure do you feel that it'll stay off, this 7 stone?

It has to. I mean, I am quite— and I, I've got two, two friends that I'm particular— this is the friend Sarah who, who introduced me to SlimPod, and, uh, my bestie at work Amanda. I keep saying I'm scared it's going to go back on because I'm stuck in this plateau at the moment, and I'm scared it's going to go back on. And I've sold all my clothes on a well-known website, so I think that is my— I think that's my get-out clause that it's sort of like I can't go back up, I've got nothing to wear. Yeah, because I've sold it all.

But your life— I mean, things have changed from inside your mind, uh, which is the big difference between, uh, this and anything else. Uh, and so really, uh, your— the changes that have happened, uh, within your whole mindset will are embedded now, and they, they will, uh, mean that you don't start overeating, etc., etc., unless you start panicking about it. So you won't, you won't be panicking?

No, no, I— well, I think I'm still a bit old school. I still get on the scales. I know we're not supposed to. I used to get on scales probably 3 or 4 times a day. I usually get on either the first day or the last day of the month, so I only weigh once a month. And I think that is I need to know that I'm still on track. And I think that is my security blanket and I just have to do that. And, you know, it is a huge change in my habits to what it was before to what it is now. But yeah, I still, and I know the scales lie. I know sometimes it's not about how much the number says on the scales and it's how your clothes fit and that sort of thing. But I think I, I just need that reassurance. So with that in mind, being in a plateau now, I am finding it really tough, but I'm still going to the gym, sort of. I'm slightly injured at the moment, so I'm still going to the gym 3 times a week, although I can only do my upper body, not my lower body. And I walk, you know, probably 15,000 steps. I've got a young dog, and, um, you know, it's a standing joke at work, Tracy will go because she wants to get her steps in, sort of thing. So, um, so yeah, if I don't hit 15,000 steps a day, then I start to get a bit nervous. So I Although I don't do any other formal exercise, I do walk a hell of a lot. And I said I try and go to the gym 3 times a week.

But yeah, great. And it's— so what would you say is the one thing that has been different about what you're doing now compared to what you did before? What's the one big thing?

I think I'm not I think I'm not stressing so much about food where before it was like, right, I've had this, which really wasn't a good idea. And it's sort of like that don't care attitude. And then that might have happened on a Wednesday. So then the whole week goes wrong then until the following Monday, because obviously diets only start on a Monday. I know this is not a diet, but you know what I mean? It's sort of like, yeah, I can eat what I want till Monday because Everything starts on a Monday. So, so yeah, I don't think I have that mentality anymore. You know, if I have something that I think, well, that wasn't such a good idea, then so be it. The following day, you know, get back on it. Following meal, get back on it. I think that's the thing is being able to fall off the horse, you know, and burn the carriage and then get back on the horse the following day, really. Yeah.

Rather than the all or nothing, what the hell factor.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, life, life throws us curveballs. We can't always be perfect all the time. You know, you try and be perfect most of the time. We're not perfect. Try to be, to eat the right choices most of the time. But some days it just doesn't work out, does it?

Exactly. Absolutely that. So yeah, I mean, it's, and what, what would your one big tip to any Slimpodders listening to this?

Well, I've got a friend who's recently started, so she's somebody who worked in the school where my daughter went and knew my daughter and lives very closely. So after the wedding, I sent her a couple of photographs of all, and she sort of— she texts me back, said, 'Bloomin' heck, haven't you lost some weight?' She said, 'We need to meet up and have a chat.' So anyway, It was sort of like it was December. Everybody was busy with Christmas and one thing or another. So in January, we met up for coffee and she signed up that evening to sew. And it's a standing joke. We text one another for support. So I think it's good to have friends that support you. I mean, I've got 3 close friends, Lindsay and Amanda and Sarah, who support me a lot. And, you know, it's, it's just sort of learning to forgive yourself, really. Because we're human, you know, you are, you know, you go to events where, you know, if I go to, you know, a wedding, a Christmas, you know, a Christmas party that's a buffet, funeral that's a buffet, I know I'm gonna have far too many carbs because it's going to be sandwiches, it's going to be quiche, what have you. And, you know, if there's a plate of chicken, obviously being vegetarian, that doesn't work for me. So I know that it's not— I'm not gonna succeed in being following what I like to eat. But you just got to get on with it, haven't you really? So I think the thing is, is I listen to the pods every night. Well, I think I do. I put them on with one earpod in and I just go to sleep. So I presume I listen to them. So I usually hear the beginning but not the end, but I listen, just put all 4 on back to back each night. So I listen to them every night and I think I've done every night since I joined, apart from the night of my daughter's wedding. So I was a bit tired when I went to bed then. And so Yeah, I listen to the pods, be as good as I can most days, make wise choices most days, and then try and do exercise. Really, I think I need to do that. I think both physically and mentally, you know, sometimes a day can be horrible, but, you know, half an hour out with the dog and life feels a bit better, really.

Amazing. Look, Tracey, thank you so much. It's just been wonderful. Talking to you and hearing about your journey and how your body is just letting it go. And yes, you're on the plateau right now, but then that's just a little reset. It can't keep on going the same way. I think everybody who goes— who's so used to dieting and so used to being on those scales every week, they just think it's a linear process, and it really isn't. It's You know, the body does have to have a little rest.

I think I'm definitely in a rest period.

You're in a rest period. So just let it, let it do its own thing. Just, you know, carry on doing what you're doing. Let your body— and it'll soon carry on again.

Yes. Thank you.

Oh, you're welcome. And thank you. Thanks so much. Very, very inspirational. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks so much for watching. I hope this episode has given you a spark of hope. Or a new way to think about your journey with your weight. If it did, please give it a like, hit subscribe, and share it with somebody who needs to hear this. And if you're ready to lose weight for good, try the SlimPod Programme. It's helped thousands of people change their lives, and it can help you too. You'll find all the links below, and I'd love to support you on your journey.