A busy mother of three from Hinckley, Leicestershire, has lost four stone in four months after giving up her cheese addiction, which was costing her £1,200 a year. Lucy Castle, 37, weighed 16 stone and was a size 20 at her heaviest, regularly consuming whole baked Camembert, brie, and large amounts of grated cheese.
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in March 2024, Ms Castle decided to try the 1:1 diet, which involves four meal replacements a day. She dropped to 12 stone and a size 12, and has since reversed her diabetes diagnosis. She now maintains her weight with home-cooked meals and healthy snacks.
Ms Castle, now a diet consultant and women's wellness coach, said: 'Cheese was wrecking my life. I was spending £25 a week on different cheese. My favourite was brie. I found myself again.' She previously experienced dizziness, pins and needles, and sweats, and avoided social events due to her weight.
She credits the weekly weigh-ins and support from her consultant for keeping her motivated. 'Seeing the scales every week and my weight going down - it kept me motivated,' she said. She now has more energy to keep up with her three sons, aged two, nine, and 15.
Ms Castle still enjoys the occasional cheese on crackers but says food no longer controls her. She hopes to inspire others on their weight loss journeys, advising: 'Believe in yourself. You can do this too. Take one day at a time, stop being hard on yourself, and practice self-love.'
