A mum who said she was "too lazy" to lose weight lost six stone in a year after being inspired by an Instagram page.
Carla Fishwick, 41, said she had tried "millions of diets" over the years but never found anything she could stick to. The mum-of-one was scrolling through Instagram when she came across an online coach's transformations page.
Carla said she decided to make a complete "lifestyle change" by signing up for six weeks on the Francis Diet which gave her access to a personalised calorie and nutrient-controlled diet. She was also given a tailored fitness plan with workouts devised by trainer Scott Francis that she could do at home alongside her job owning a hairdressing business.
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Carla has gone on to drop six stone 9lbs in a year through her hard work and now shares photos in her bikini to document her weight loss journey. Carla said: "My husband says 'why are you putting all those pictures on Instagram?'. But I say to him it's because I want to really show other people that if I can do it, they can do it too.
"I was always so lazy, I was the sort of person I’d sleep in to the last alarm, I always wanted to lose weight but I just wasn’t prepared to do it. Now I get up every morning at 5am to do a workout, because I know that will set me up for the day. This has changed my whole life for the better and it's not just about weight loss, it's been the mental health side as well.
"I get messages from people asking for me for help, and I feel like if there's anything I can do to help people out, I want to try. People think there's a magic pill or secret, but there's nothing secret to it - it's all down to hard work and motivation. Once you get to where you want to be there's no going back."
The Manchester Evening News reported that Carla is often questioned whether she's had surgery to achieve her dramatic transformation - but she is quick to set the record straight that she's not had lipo. Carla was so inspired by the Francis Diet that she now works as an ambassador for the programme.
She said her initial goal was to get to a size 12, but through her eating and workout plan she was soon down to a size 6 or 8. Carla said one of the most exciting things about her weight loss is being able to buy whatever clothes she wants knowing they will fit.
Carla, who lives in Wilmslow and works in Alderley Edge, said she chooses to workout from home and combines sessions of a treadmill, bought for £80 on Facebook Marketplace, with bodyweight exercises.
As part of the plan, Carla ditched alcohol. She said drinking would often lead to binge-eating takeaways with husband Anthony. She said: "I used to just grab a caramel latte for breakfast, have a reasonably healthy lunch at work, but when I got home I'd be snacking on crisps, picking at my daughter's leftovers, then I'd have a drink and me and my husband would order a takeaway but of course he can eat what he likes and doesn't put weight on.
"For me it was just mindless eating. I've been an emotional eater all my life, and I think I probably used all the excuses. Now I don't feel like I need a drink, although I can have the occasional drink, but I'm now more mindful of everything."
Carla added losing weight has also had a big impact on her mental health. Before starting the Francis Diet she was peri-menopausal and had been recommended to take HRT and anti-depressants. But now she said she's off both medications and feels like she no longer needs them.
She said: "Everyone wants to know about what I've done. But a lot of people when I explain to them and say it's no alcohol until you get where you want to be, they say 'no I can’t do it'.
"At first it was hard for me too, but now I'm feeling fresh and if I have a drink it feels like I'm putting poison in my body and it would really hit me afterwards. So for me now, I don't miss it at all."
She added: "I feel more organised in my whole life. Being ready for the school run, being ready for work, I'm all organised. Because I get up so early I just get everything done, I feel like doing your exercise at 5am gives you endorphins and the energy to get the rest of the day done."
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