But fear not! Research from Dr Nerys Astbury , senior researcher into diet and obesity at Oxford University, debunks the fake news…. We combined similar trials into groups for analysis. Across each group, although people in the control programmes lost weight, the people who followed a meal replacement diet lost significantly more weight after one year.
On average, people who followed a meal-replacement diet lost 1. Last month, the programme received a huge publicity boost when Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen, wife of flamboyant interior designer Laurence, appeared with her husband at the Classical Brit awards in clinging green satin. Once regarded as a publicity-shy showbusiness wife who hid her stone figure behind voluminous, floaty dresses, Jackie looked sensational.
She had lost five stone thanks, she revealed, to LighterLife. Critics say the punishing calorie-a-day regime can be linked to eating disorders, heart attacks and memory loss, and can even prove fatal. Nevertheless, , have completed the diet, which restricts food intake to shakes and soups for days and is combined with group therapy sessions aimed at helping customers sustain their weight loss.
Like many weight-loss regimes, LighterLife is personified by its founders, who are now millionaires. According to LighterLife, businesswomen Bar Hewlett, 61, and Jackie Cox, 57, invented the programme for themselves, then turned their slimming success into a multi-million-pound business.
They are rarely seen. Bar lost six stone but, as this rare picture shows, LighterLife has not solved Jackie Cox's weight problem. Her body mass index of Ms Cox was born in South London but now lives alone with a golden retriever on New Providence, an idyllic island in the Bahamas, just down the road from Sean Connery's compound in one of the island's most expensive and exclusive ocean-front neighbourhoods. Ms Cox's enviable sunshine lifestyle is testimony to the fact that at the heart of LighterLife is an efficient business model.
Overweight people are encouraged to follow the core programme for 14 weeks. Like Alcoholics Anonymous, the group therapy sessions put peer pressure on participants to stick with the programme - effectively tying in some for life. They also help make successful dieters almost evangelical about the programme. But the programme is an extreme one and, inevitably, it has caused controversy.
Critics claim female customers have experienced hair loss and dental and menstrual disorders. One year-old client was diagnosed with anorexia and a year-old died from heart arrhythmia. The coroner recorded an open verdict, but obesity expert Professor John Garrow blamed her rapid ten-stone weight loss which, he claimed, reduced lean tissue in her heart.
In December , a mother of five died after drinking almost four litres of water in two hours while on the plan, which advocates high fluid intake to prevent constipation. A coroner ruled her death an accident, but her family blamed the diet. LighterLife, based in Essex, insists its plan is safe if followed correctly, pointing out it only accepts customers approved by their GPs. The greatest health danger to obese people is to do nothing, it argues.
One woman who worked for LighterLife for three years told The Mail on Sunday that the company unquestionably has good intentions. But she added: 'My misgivings are about the claim that the diet is a permanent solution. Transformation: Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's wife Jackie poses with him after losing five stone with the LighterLife diet. The source worked as a 'counsellor' for the firm. No particular qualifications are required for this role.
I earned about a 30 per cent return,' said the insider, who bought a franchise about six years ago. I was shocked. She looked morbidly obese. She said, "How do you manage clients when you obviously can't do the programme yourself? She would never look you in the eye and didn't make much conversation. She was always defensive. But I felt her whole attitude and appearance was a coping mechanism because she didn't like herself.
The insider added: 'If you stick to any of these meal-replacement plans, you are going to lose loads of weight. But people pay more for LighterLife because they are told that on this programme you will keep the weight off. It is true the counselling makes a difference. But once they finish the programme and the counselling stops, many relapse like an alcoholic dropping out of AA. I felt the whole time that I was there to make money for the leader and LighterLife and that they only really wanted people who believed in the diet.
I raised queries once or twice and just got treated like I was simple whereas in fact I felt they didn't want to hear from anyone who wasn't a believer… Read Full Review. I have lost 2 stone with L L so am feeling quite pleased with myself at the moment. It is a diet I believe in. However, I decided to try working out how this could be the weekly cost because it made no sense to me.
It was only then did i realise that I was paying a weekly fee for the group session. Now, I wouldn't have minded quite so much if i had actually been told of this charge but it was never mentioned!!! A hidden charge is not ethical. In these first 2 weeks I had a good weight loss so obviously wanted to continue but I did not want to attend group I am a professional in health and social care and psychological sciences. The topics discussed at group I did not feel I needed I just wanted the foodpacks.
Ok, the selection and choices were not so great but I kept telling myself I am now 2 stone lighter but would ideally like to lose another stone. I have not needed the 'support' of a group but i can understand that others may need this. I just need to continue for about 4 weeks more and I will be at my goal. I will do this on my own and be making my purchases at Superdrug.
It's cheaper to buy it online, iam thinking of starting it but with being on the menopause not sure if it will be ok,. I lost 4 stone in 8 weeks this may seem unbelievable but it worked for me yes I did put the weight back on over a period of time this was because after I lost the weight I thought I was cured? Went back to my old habits it does not matter what diet u do if u go back to living the way you used to of course u will put the weight back I have gone back to lighter life and would recommend it to everyone.
It is misunderstood it's not a 3 month crash diet it is a life changing tool and encourages… Read Full Review. Yes, I lost 3 stone in 9 weeks Despite following all the guidelines, I suffered terrible stomach cramps, very dry skin, blurred vision, flaking nails My pride and joy My hair has never recovered it's thickness and texture!
This diet wreaked my metabolism. Had to eat like a mouse for several months, very slowly adding a little bit more in an attempt to get it back to a more normal balanced range. I lost some fat… Read Full Review.
I tried the lighterlife fast pasta carbonara purchased from superdrug, its was absolutely vile and inedible.
I am the kind of girl that can usually force anything down no matter how disgusting, this was awful beyond my ability. The price is an absolute rip off and they are taking desperate for all they have, i live on child benefit as my income seperate from my husbands and i feel gutted spending what little i have on this.
At least make sure something is fit for consumption before releasing it… Read Full Review. Went for a job interview as a Senior Admin. After 45 min of drilling into my experience, skills, personal life, education, work history, etc and my personal experience with health, sports and nutrition, their response was; capable to perform all the job requirements and duties Hi there, I have experience of this company In a nutshell Or, put yet another way You sound too much of an individual to have ever fitted in Good luck.
The vegetable soup and pasta carbonara are disgusting. Disgusting considering the price. Do not waste your money… Read Full Review. I've been on lighter life for 1 month now and lost 2 stone.
I'm a 44 year old successful business owner with a very strong personality and a recently discovered underactive thyroid problem. This is the most amazing and best diet i have ever attempted. I wish i'd done it years ago. Yes everything they say is obvious to me it is as i'm very well educated and make it my business to find out about things But it still works, if you work it!
I was… Read Full Review.
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