MEET JEMIMA

Meet Jemima from our Tuesday morning sessions…

This is me just before I joined in 2022, I hate this photo but it is a good reminder of what not to go back to. I'm currently at a 43.5lbs loss and well on my way to my goal weight. I love how much KCALS gives me control of my own life, I can eat what I want with no guilt.  Even though I’ve had some ups and downs I have no intention of quitting - the most important thing is to be in the room!

Meet the fabulous Suzanne from our Saturday sessions… 

KCALS is an amazing, supportive group. It’s realistic and, for me, life changing. I’m nearly at four and a half stone off and still have about the same to lose again. More important than the numbers are that I no longer have chronic indigestion and my knees no longer hurt me. 

Meet the gorgeous Helene from our KCALS Tuesday classes.

What a fabulous Christmas present Helene has achieved for herself this year reaching her GOAL healthy weight today, 104.5 lbs in total.

Proving on KCALS you can socialise and still lose especially at this time of year.

Meet the fabulous Dianne from our Saturday sessions 

As Claire says not always full body photos needed for comparison.

Similar shots approx 2 stone apart

Much prefer having one chin and cheekbones, my inspiration NOT to go back 

Meet the gorgeous Grace from our Wednesday sessions in Swinton…

I don’t have any photos from Christmas parties because I’m rubbish at taking photos and don’t really like them! 

The left is from my friends wedding two years ago in December and the right is from another friends wedding from the middle of November, this year. There’s around 3 stone difference here. Still not at my goal but I’m a hell of a lot closer than I was this time last year and God do I feel better for it!

My decision to join KCALS began months before I actually did, slowly but surely the weight piled on, I went from large to XL, then gradually I reached XXL, that’s when I saw Claire in the supermarket and said I could do with coming to your classes, but you know what I thought, I can’t go yet, I need to lose a couple of pounds before I get on those scales, and do you know what that’s exactly what I did!!! 

BIG mistake I got even bigger and when I was buying 3XL, I couldn’t fold my arms across my chest without it feeling like it was restricting my breathing, and when I lay down I could feel the weight on my throat, I decided enough was and I turned up at a KCALS meeting one Saturday morning, the biggest I’ve ever been, with arthritic knees and a wardrobe full of clothes I couldn’t fit into without looking and feeling like the staypuff marshmallow man from ghostbusters.

KCALS has supported me from day one, yes I was determined but not enough to do it without the meetings, and frankly the weekly weigh in where I want to have a loss every week. The meetings offer advice and guidance about alternatives to the usual food, but also the social media network is great for sharing successes and menu ideas.

So how is it going so far, I joined end Sept 2024 and I am 51lbs down in Feb 2025 I have changed my eating habits, and use the app to record what I have works for me, I have massively increased my exercise, but really that literally means I go for a walk doing 10k plus steps a day. 

For me KCALS is about habit change, lifestyle changes, and support, no fads, no half measures of food to lose calories, but instead making sensible decisions and choices. Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as well as I do now. It’s about choosing wisely not choosing less.

I’m halfway to where I want to be, and whilst I know the next half isn’t going to be as easy as the last, I have complete confidence it will work for me and it could work for anyone, combine that with the honest support and feedback from everyone at the classes and online, the only thing stopping you is you.

I joined KCALS in May 23 after my bloods came back as pre-diabetic. 

I had managed to lose 1 stone between Jan and May already. 

I knew Claire from going to her sessions previously and knew I'd get the support I needed. 

Within 6 months, I had reversed the pre-diabetes 

The weekly sessions are great. We are all there for the same thing and support each other. 

I have now managed to lose a further 4 stone with the support of KCALS. Staying to the session is a must.

Meet the fabulous Kim from our Royton sessions…

When I started at KCALS coming up to 2 years ago I had very limited knowledge on counting calories.

Had done SW and WW lost weight and put it back on again. 

The reason for giving KCALS a shot, I had the holiday of a lifetime booked with my soul mate and knew I needed to lose some weight to cope with the humidity that was coming our way on the holiday.

I am a very all in person and put far too much pressure on myself so did not set a goal as that would have led to lack of interest and failure quite quickly if the process did not provide what I wanted it to.

Fast forward to my last weigh in the week before Christmas and I hit 3 stone MILESTONE! 

Now I could list everything good and give everyone the impression that it has been an easy process and that I sailed to the 3 stone loss, well I didn’t.

There is hard work, commitment, ups and downs along the way.

Everyone gets to their own place in their own time and their own way and this is so very important to remember especially on the harder weeks.

We as humans compare all the time, before you do take a deep breath and remember you create your own destiny.

I have just come back from the said holiday of a lifetime, I have broken every habit that I have learnt over the 18 months but I have lived my dream and had the most amazing holiday with memories I will treasure forever and more importantly my ability to cope with the humidity due to the weight loss allowed me to live my dream holiday as I would have wanted.

Back in class next week and I personally can’t wait to stand on the scales to start work on getting back to normal (nothing to do with the weight) see the old faces and the new. Being in the room week in week out has been the key for me cause even when it seemed I couldn’t I found my actions feelings and behaviours were normal.

I can only close with thanking Claire and the KCALS Royton and wider group family for showing me something that has stuck with me since the very first meeting that was said in group;

IF YOU SAY YOU CANT YOU BELIEVE IT 

IF YOU BELIEVE  YOU CAN YOU ACHEIVE IT

Well I did and personally have never been prouder of myself and the friendships and support this lovely KCALS family creates 

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember and done every diet going. Quick fix diets are not the solution. In past I have lost weight only to be heavier than ever 6 to 12 month later

Since I have joined KCALS my relationship with food has changed.  I am no longer on a diet but on a long term eating plan, checking the calorific value of foods. The support I have received in class is amazing.  I still love cake however have smaller potions thesedays. If I could give one piece of advice keep chipping away and don't give up.