Laura was 24 stone at her heaviest and was struggling to walk
A 37-year-old mum who had struggled with weight all her life was prompted to lose 12 stone after getting a message from her Apple watch while she was sitting on the sofa. Laura Self says she had always been overweight, but the problem spiralled after she had her son and took on long shifts at work.
Laura said: “I’ve always been overweight, even as a child. There just wasn’t the education around nutrition. During my nurse training, shift work and long hours caused my weight to spiral. After the birth of my son, I hit my heaviest, 24 stone, and found myself struggling to walk.”
One day, while sitting on her sofa resting, Laura got an alert from her Apple watch asking if she was exercising because of her high heart rate. Laura, from Southampton, went to her GP but was told surgery was her only option. After six months of consultations, psychological support and pre-surgery programmes, Laura was devastated to discover she’d actually gained weight.
She went on to get a gastric sleeve and initially lost six stone in two years, going down to 17 stone. But when lockdown hit in 2020, the weight crept back to 18 stone. Laura realised she had never addressed the psychological reasons behind why she was overeating.
“I had an emotional connection, and addiction, to food,” she said. “Eating became my comfort, yet my weight left me feeling deeply depressed and trapped in a prison of my own making. I had very little energy to care for my patients or to be the active parent I wanted to be. Even everyday tasks, like fitting into a chair, filled me with fear.
“I felt as though I was existing on the sidelines of life, rather than truly living it.”
One day, scrolling on Instagram, Laura, who’s married to Kieran, discovered the 1:1 Diet and decided to give it a try in 2023. “It was like food rehab for me,” she said. “If you’re addicted to alcohol, you can stop drinking. But with food, you can’t just quit. The 1:1 Diet helped me rebuild my relationship with food: I wasn’t just dieting, I was healing.”
Laura followed the plan carefully, having four balanced products a day that met all her nutritional needs, without having to spend hours reading food labels, researching or weighing foods. She also received personalised support from her consultant, Gemma.
“Gemma made me feel seen and heard for the first time,” Laura said. “No judgement, just guidance and accountability, with one-to-one support. I wasn’t hungry, I had energy, my blood results normalised and my hair and skin looked amazing. Every week, I saw results, and for the first time, I felt in control.
“Even having my stomach reduced didn’t solve the problem: I had to face my emotional connection with food. Gemma helped me understand that, and everything clicked.”
From the end of 2023 when she was 17 stone 8lbs, Laura go to her ideal weight of 12.7 stone in July 2024. The 1:1 Diet in just seven months, matched the amount she’d lost after surgery in a two-year timeframe. In 2025 she dropped to 11st6lbs and has been maintaining weight within a stone bracket for the past two years. She is currently 12 stone, exactly 12 stone lighter than she was in 2018.
But this time the weight loss was achieved through mindset change and consistent habits. Laura feels better than ever, not just physically but psychologically too.
“The same endorphin rush I used to get from cake, I now get from a cardio session finally living my life, rather than just existing,” she said. “I’m no longer depressed, I jump out of bed, I’m active with my kids instead of watching from the sidelines. I used to worry if I’d fit in chairs but now I run 5Ks on the beach.
“I recently returned to the same holiday resort where, years ago, I could barely walk. This time, I ran a 5K along the sand. That was the moment I knew my life had completely changed.”
Laura was so inspired by the diet and her consultant that she decided to become one herself, helping those who are in a similar position to where she was six years ago. Becoming a consultant even paid for her skin removal surgery, the final chapter in her transformation.
Laura’s friends and family have been shocked by her transformation. “I once went to work and a patient said to my colleague, ‘how’s Laura doing, I haven’t seen her in a while?’, but I was actually stood in front of him, and he hadn’t recognised me!” Laura adds.
“I’ve had that happen a few times now, so it’s a running joke at work. Now, I balance my nursing career with a flourishing business as a The 1:1 Diet consultant.
“I graduated with my masters degree in September and felt amazing walking across the stage 12 stone lighter to collect my award. I still check in weekly with Gemma, my first consultant, for the continued support that keeps me grounded.”
Laura wants other people on a weight loss journey to stay positive even if the road isn’t straightforward.
“You don’t need surgery and you’re not a failure if past attempts didn’t work,” Laura adds. “With the right support and mindset, you can do it too.”
