A mother of seven from Kent has revealed that small changes to her daily routine helped her lose 13lbs and drop up to two dress sizes in six months, without giving up her favourite foods.
How the Simple app helped
Laurien Perkins credits the Simple weight loss app with helping her become more conscious of her eating habits, increase her water intake and make time for exercise while balancing family life, baking and renovating her home.
“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,” said Laurien, who runs the YouTube channel OrdinaryEnglishMum. “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.”
Rather than following a strict diet, Laurien used Simple to monitor her meals, snacks, drinks and intermittent fasting routine. The app creates a tailored plan after users complete a quiz, with tools including food logging via typing, voice or photo, an intermittent fasting tracker, a NutriScanner and daily workout plans covering yoga, pilates, HIIT, walking and Tai Chi.
Results after six months
“I didn't have to give anything up,” she said. “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 said the difference has been noticeable. “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,” she added.
Daily tracking and AI coach
Laurien uses the app every day to track her food and water consumption, while its AI coach, Avo, assists her in creating recipes and meal suggestions. “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 explained.
She has also introduced more walking and gentler exercises, including wall Pilates and chair yoga, into her schedule. “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?',” she said.
Improved energy and sleep
Alongside shedding pounds, Laurien said she has observed enhancements 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 said.
Looking back on her journey, she added: “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.”
Alternatives and user reviews
Alternatives include MyFitnessPal, a calorie monitoring tool and BMI calculator that costs approximately £15.99 per month, and Noom, a weight management platform centred around mindful eating with costs starting at £12 to £45 per month depending on the chosen plan.
Users of Simple have shared their experiences on Trustpilot, 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 user wrote: “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 reviewer outlined improvements they'd like to see, stating: “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.”
Another reviewer praised the customer service, writing: “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!”
