Many people find it difficult to know where to start in creating a new health-conscious lifestyle, and it can feel like a daunting task. No two health journeys are the same, either, and the best plan is one that is tailored and adapted to an individual.
One like that offered by Simple, an award-winning app that provides users with an easy-to-follow plan adapted just for them. Plus, readers can currently get 60% off the usual £29.99 monthly cost of Simple Weight Loss Plans with the code REACH60.
Couple Mark and Sherrill Graff both noticed a massive difference after they started using Simple – even losing a collective 117lbs together. The couple, who have been married for forty years, recently began an intermittent fasting programme through the Simple app.
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Intermittent fasting is when your day cycles around periods of eating and fasting, and there are various ways to do it, from the 5:2 diet – eating normally for five days of the week and restricting calories for two, non-consecutive days – to the 16/8 Method, where you fast for 16 hours of the day, and eat within an 8-hour window.
Mark and Sherrill’s approach is closer to the latter, Sherrill explains: “We have different eating schedules. I like to fast until 11.30am, so I open my eating window at 11.30 and I end it somewhere between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.”
“I usually start my meals at nine in the morning and at two o’clock in the afternoon. That way I’m not so hungry when dinner time comes…” adds Mark. “I work at least 10 hour days at my job, sitting at a desk. It’s pretty stagnant work, not a lot of exercise. So I gained a lot of weight over the years.”
Through using the Simple app, the couple say they have lost significant amounts of weight. So, how does it work? The app uses AI to give personalised nutrition tips and offer suggestions for lifestyle changes, providing an alternative to the restrictive and ineffective diet industry. This does separate it from alternative trackers, like MyFitnessPal, which lets you scan barcodes to get nutrition.
Its method, which is shaped by a world-class team of nutritional, behavioural change, digital health and medicine experts, has helped thousands of people change their lifestyle to lose weight and feel better.
“Since the Simple app, I’ve lost about 62 pounds, and (Mark has) lost 55,” says Sherrill. That equates to a 28kg weight loss for Sherrill, and 24kg for Mark. “We do it a little bit differently. I eat a lot of protein and vegetables in my eating window, but Mark… he’s a little more controlled in what he eats,” she adds.
“I eat less than 1200 calories a day. I make sure that I stay underneath that, but if I blow it, it’s no big deal, because I look at this as a lifestyle change for me,” says Mark.
As Mark and Sherrill show, Simple’s method is adaptable to an individual’s needs.
Users start by filling out a detailed survey covering their health goals, preferences, and past experiences with weight loss. Then, they have access to convenient food logging, an intermittent fasting tracker, the NutriScanner, which helps users understand the nutrition in meals whether eating out or at home, daily workout plans suitable for all levels, and Avo, the in-app AI coach which can help with questions, tips and guidance about diet and exercise.
It’s a gradual, gentle approach that does away with unreasonable dieting and labelling food as ‘good’ or bad’, focusing instead on nutritional balance and guilt-free eating.
Matt was another user who lost a significant amount of weight using Simple, which he said has been “a game-changer” in his life. Now 25.8kg (57lbs) lighter, he said the app “helped him become consistent” with lifestyle changes.
Another user, Danielle, who managed to lose 27.8kg (48lbs) using the app says: “I give all credit to Simple. Having an AI coach right there, any time I needed, whatever time of day, helped me more than anything else.” Real Simple users are featured who have been compensated for their honest testimonials. Results may vary.
The app has an average rating of 4.2 stars on Trustpilot, with plenty of users sharing their success stories.
“Best app I’ve tried so far for weight loss,” said one five-star review. “I really enjoy this app for its recipes, exercises which takes into account any injuries you may have and gives you alternatives, and, of course, the fasting tracking and help through it.
“I’ve lost 19lbs since starting and it’s helped me adjust my thoughts on food and what I am putting in my body. Plus, it’s still easy eating out – with the app’s AI assistance, I can pick the best option. Definitely worth it.”
“The AI support is nice. It feels like I have a personal coach helping me through the process,” said another reviewer. “Although there are obviously limits, it’s nice to vent frustration or worry about the journey.”
It’s also worth noting that intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone, and results will vary from person to person. For example, one reviewer said: “For me, fasting did not work. It has been one month since I started Simple life. I have not lost any weight at all,” they added. “I have been eating three healthy meals a day, no unhealthy snacks, and no eating after fasting starts. At this rate, I might as well enjoy life and have my popcorn in the evening and my Cheetos with lunch.”
However, another said: “Exceeding my expectations for a nutrition app. I love the AI component. Intermittent fasting is a new approach for me and this app has been very helpful in educating me on a workable plan.”
Remember, when starting any new diet and workout plan, it’s always best to consult your doctor on the best approach for you.
If Simple doesn’t sound quite right, there are other food tracking and exercise apps out there at various price points.
Lifesum also uses AI, incorporating meal tracking, diet guidance, intermittent fasting timers and macro tracking, and it’s free to use with optional in-app purchases. If users are after a fitness tracker, Hevy is a good pick – it’s a free workout tracker where users can build routines and track progress with friends.
However, if you want to use the AI assistant Avo plus other features, you can try Simple here, with 60% off when you use code REACH60.
