‘It’s little things like going out for a meal and not having to worry about where you’re sitting or going on an aeroplane and not worrying, if you’re in the middle seat, about encroaching on anyone else.’
A Scottish woman who shed more than half her body weight has credited small, straightforward lifestyle changes with delivering a remarkable transformation – and not skinny jabs. Karen Heffernan, who lives just outside Glasgow, took action following what she described as ‘a bit of a health scare and a bit of a difficult conversation with a surgeon.’
Rather than counting calories, she turned to a fitness app to guide her through a series of gradual, incremental changes and, over roughly 18 months, she lost 14 and a half stone (94kg) — more than half her starting weight of 26 and a half stone.
She says both physically and mentally she’s in the best shape of her life, adding: “I can’t believe it’s actually been so simple. I’ve not felt deprived along the way, my motto just now is ‘delay don’t deny.’ You can have the treats, you have the yin and the yang, you build things up. This isn’t through surgery, it’s not through medication or any of that, some vitamins along the way, yes, but good food, good exercise, good sleep and motivation to keep you going along the way.”
She described how her health overhaul had transformed her day-to-day existence, boosting her energy levels alongside a wealth of other benefits, adding: “It’s little things like going out for a meal and not having to worry about where you’re sitting or going on an aeroplane and not worrying, if you’re in the middle seat, about encroaching on anyone else.”
Despite her impressive weight loss, Karen has avoided the issue of loose skin, which she attributes to intermittent fasting. Not only did this approach support a healthier path to losing weight, but research from Cambridge University also indicates that it carries anti-inflammatory properties, which contribute to skin renewal and elasticity.
Fitness and wellbeing apps have surged in popularity over recent years, with a notable spike during the pandemic as people sought ways to keep active throughout lockdown. From meal-tracking tools such as MyFitnessPal and LoseIt to digital workout platforms like Hevy, there is now a vast array of options to help people keep their fitness goals within easy reach.
The Simple app brings together the best features of many of these platforms into a single package, offering fitness options spanning strength training and cardio to chair yoga, alongside a range of cutting-edge tools. These include NutriScanner, which assesses the nutritional content of meals using just a photograph, and an intermittent fasting tracker for those looking to swap calorie counting for this widely popular method – also central to Michael Mosley’s 16:8 plan, which aims to rev up metabolism by adjusting mealtimes.
There is also an AI-powered assistant called Avo, on hand to offer guidance and respond to queries throughout the process. The Simple app is currently offering 80% off with code REACH at checkout. Upon signing up, users complete an online questionnaire about their goals and preferences regarding diet and exercise. This information is used to create a fully personalised plan tailored to each individual’s needs and schedule.
Karen explained: “I started small, I found the intermittent fasting lifestyle, did a lot of research and I gradually built things up. Simple was a great way to track the fasts that I was doing and gives you tips along the way. I also introduced Avo, which was great in giving you some tips for health and nutrition and making recipes.
“One of my first tips is to just keep going. Guilt? Get it out the window. There’s always the next day where you can start again and get on the journey. Exercise is really important. Now I do core stability, I’m doing pilates and you can’t stop me from walking. I take the family on little walks after a meal.”
Karen is among more than 17 million users globally who have downloaded the app to help boost their fitness levels. The Simple Life App holds an impressive average rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, based on more than 28,000 reviews.
One five-star reviewer said they ‘couldn’t say enough good things about this app,’ adding: “Love this app. It’s teaching me how to make eating healthy and being active a lifestyle that I can continue on my own. Love the workouts that I can adjust from low to high depending on my time and energy. Logging food and water is easy, as well as using their AI to get recipes from a list that I have in my pantry and fridge to scanning menus at restaurants to help me choose the best option.”
A second reviewer praised Avo for helping keep her motivated, adding: “The coach is helpful. Also, when I fall off track the coach doesn’t make me feel like I failed the day. It is very encouraging and helps keep me motivated and focused.”
Not everyone is won over, however. One three-star reviewer commented: “I feel tied to my phone. It’s not good for me.”
Yet that same portability proved to be a major selling point for another user, who described it as ‘one of the best weight loss and lifestyle apps I’ve ever used,’ adding: “It’s the best culmination of evidence based strategies (fasting, Mediterranean diet, mindfulness, etc) plus the power of AI, which is like having a personal health coach or therapist in your pocket. Also, I love that tracking is so easy and more focused on the quality of food choices vs cumbersome portion size and nutrition tracking like programs of the past.”
The Simple app can be downloaded on Android and iOS devices and is 80% off by using the code REACH at checkout.
Real simple users are featured who have been compensated for their honest testimonials. Results may vary.
