Never Diet Again with Max Lowery

#92 Jaqueline: "I Lost 16kg in 11 weeks Without Dieting — After Years of Trying Everything"

• Max Lowery

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This episode is for the woman who knows something has to change.

Jacqueline didn’t struggle because she didn’t know what to do.

She struggled because food had quietly taken over her life.

In this conversation, Jacqueline, a 55-year-old retired police officer, shares what it was really like living in a body that no longer felt manageable. Secret snacking. Loss of mobility. Avoiding walks. Struggling with everyday tasks that most people take for granted.

She talks honestly about years of dieting, food rules, and “starting again,” and the moment she realised she couldn’t keep living like that.

We cover:

  • How emotional and habitual eating slowly takes control
  • Why knowing what to do isn’t the same as being able to do it
  • The mental and physical toll of carrying excess weight for years
  • What changed when she stopped dieting and addressed the root cause
  • How losing weight restored energy, confidence, and quality of life

This isn’t about vanity. It’s about health, independence, and getting your life back.

If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t keep doing this,” this episode will resonate deeply.

Watch my The Cravings & Fat-Burning Masterclass:  https://www.neverdietagainmethod.uk/register-podcast

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max.lowery/

Book a Food Freedom Breakthrough Call: https://www.neverdietagainmethod.uk/call-ig

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SPEAKER_01:

Today I'm talking to the amazing Jacqueline, who, with our help, has lost 16 kilos in 11 weeks without dieting, without cutting out her favorite foods, or doing excessive exercise. She even went on holiday and has been going out for meals out. And I completely understand that this sounds too good to be true, but this is exactly what happens with every single client we work with when they address the root cause of the problem instead of focusing on the surface level issues. Jacqueline felt exactly the same way that you do right now, listening to this. She felt like she tried everything. She was afraid this wouldn't work for her. But she is hard proof that there is another way. You don't have to restrict and deprive yourself. Let's get into it. How do you create a life that allows you to lose weight, eat the foods that you love, and sustain the results? Over the last 10 years, I've helped thousands of people do exactly that. I'm Max Lowery. I'm an author, personal trainer, and weight loss coach. In this podcast, I'm going to share my top tips and tricks from within my one-on-one coaching programme. It's my goal to give you the tools and the understanding so that you never die again. Why don't you give a bit of background about who you are, how old you are, where you live, and then we'll get into it.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure. So my name is Jacqueline. I'm 55 years old. I live in a town called Coke Bridge, which is about 10 miles outside Glasgow in Scotland. I'm a retired police officer and I spend most of my time now walking the dog and doing a wee bit of pottery.

SPEAKER_01:

Excellent. So why don't you take us back to before you started working with us on the Live 360 programme? What was life looking like for you then with your with your weight and your relationship with food?

SPEAKER_00:

So I had a terrible relationship with food. Um my weight was completely out of control. Um food-wise, I would eat anything I walked past. I was eating in the kitchen without when people weren't about, just secretly putting things in my mouth. My snacking was off the chart. I would eat a huge, big, giant packet of crisps in one sitting, watching telly at night. And actually my meals weren't too bad, but it was a volume of snacks in between for me. And I found my lifestyle becoming a couch potato snack a holic.

SPEAKER_01:

Thanks very much for sharing, Jacqueline. How was that how was all that impacting your life on a day-to-day basis?

SPEAKER_00:

Mentally I was not in a good place. Um physically, I certainly wasn't in a good place. Emotionally, I wasn't in a good place. Any of my places weren't good. Um I would struggle to walk. Um I could I kind of stopped walking the dog because I couldn't bend over to pick up his poop. Um I struggled to put on shoe tie shoelaces. Um even showering was beginning to become a problem. It was just awful.

SPEAKER_01:

And what else had you tried to uh lose weight in the past?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, everything. Um the usual high hitters like Weight Watchers, Slim and World. I also did um shakes, cabbage soup special K diet back in the day. Um pretty much any matter than it. Cut out carbs, cut out food different food groups, cut out fats, um, yeah, lots of different ones.

SPEAKER_01:

And would you lose weight doing those things?

SPEAKER_00:

Um the sort of more fatty ones you would lose weight actually, but you couldn't stick to them. They were just you would do them for or I would certainly I would only do them for about I don't know, maybe three weeks maximum, and then I was completely fed up with it and just go straight back to old habits. With the Slim'world and Weight Watchers, I probably did it a bit longer. Um but then again at one point recently I thought to myself, I can't believe at Slim'World once upon a time I used to sit and have a discussion with people about how to make a pizza base out of dried potatoes. It's crazy now thinking back.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, a lot of their nutritional guidelines make no sense at all. If I remember correctly, you can eat as much banana as you like, yeah, but so but a a banana was on the free foods, but the mashed banana wasn't on the free foods.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, any fruit, as long as it was whole, you could eat it. But if you did anything, if you cooked it or did anything to a pasta, it was free, you could eat as much pasta as you was crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and what made you start to look for something different?

SPEAKER_00:

Um I was on Facebook and you popped up, and I think you just popped up at the right point because I was it was getting towards the end of summer, autumn was starting, uh, and I felt myself hibernating a wee bit in the house, and I could see not a nice autumn winter coming up for me. Um I knew I wouldn't be getting out as much. Uh and I also knew that my health issues had to be addressed. So finding you on Facebook, I think the timing was just perfect for me.

SPEAKER_01:

And take me back to when you started to hear about what we did and how we worked with clients and the results that we were getting, and be as honest as you can here. Do you think what was your first thoughts? Was there any scepticism at all?

SPEAKER_00:

My first thoughts, I wasn't really sceptical because I did have quite an open mind about it. Hearing other people doing well is always reassuring. Um, my I suppose my only concern was, oh, will it work for me? Will I be able to stick to it? That was my concerns. Not does it work. Have I had faith that it would work if I could put in the work.

SPEAKER_01:

And what made you think that it might not work for you?

SPEAKER_00:

Because so many other ones haven't. That's it, actually.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and it's it's so common. And you, you know, I remember I asked you the question at the start, what else had you tried? You said everything. And I hear that every single day from women who are struggling, right? Oh, I I've tried everything. But what they don't realize, and maybe maybe you now you realize, is that it feels like you've done everything, but actually you've just done endless variations of exactly the same thing.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, you probably're right.

SPEAKER_01:

So restriction, deprivation, addressing the surface level issues rather than the root cause. And so, yeah, when you've done all those things and you've tried and failed, and it feels like you've tried everything, the logical conclusion to come to is well, it must be me. There's something wrong with me. It's my genetics, it's my age, it's my hormones. Um, I've always been like this. Uh, my parents are like this. But when in reality, they haven't actually tried everything.

SPEAKER_00:

No.

SPEAKER_01:

Really quick one for me, guys. I don't run ads on this podcast, and I do aim to give you as many high-value tips and tricks as I can for free. All I ask in return is that you help me spread the word. That way I can help as many people as I can to never die again. The way to do that is to rate, review, and share this podcast. A review will only take 30 seconds, but it would mean the world to me. But more importantly, it could help change the life of someone else. What was the main motivation for you for doing this and doing something different?

SPEAKER_00:

Health. Definitely health reasons. I had been in hospital. Um, I think it was in June with gallbladder issues, um, and my gallbladder ended up infected. I was in for a week, it was horrible. And the consultant said at that point as well, he said you need to lose weight. So it was definitely, definitely the the one thing was health and happiness, but mainly health.

SPEAKER_01:

And so that doctor said you need to lose weight, but did he or she give any constructive advice?

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely not. And I had been to the GP before about my weight in years gone by, and they've got one option which is a class you go to once a week and they teach you about healthy foods. It really wasn't for me. I know I know what's healthy and what's not. Teaching you what you should be doing, what you shouldn't be doing wasn't really working. As in what you should be putting in your mouth, that that doesn't work for me, because I know what I should be putting in my mouth and what I shouldn't. Sorry, there was nothing the doctor could offer um to do with any change of thought, anything to do with the mind, because I always felt it was all in my head. I had to crack my head first.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and you make a really good point because another thing I hear every single day is I know what I need to do, I'm just not doing it.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

It's like everyone knows they need to eat healthier meals, up their protein, limit the ultra-processed foods, be more active, but something stops women over 40 from doing those things. And until you understand exactly what it is, the root cause, it's gonna be very hard to actually get the results that you want. So you've been working with us for 11 weeks now, is it, Jacqueline?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I think so. The end of September, begin October. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And everyone is always very interested to hear the numbers. How much weight have you lost in those 11 weeks, Jacqueline?

SPEAKER_00:

I have lost 15.8 kilos in 11 weeks.

SPEAKER_01:

Which is insane progress. Talk to me about how you've been doing that. Has it been difficult? Has it been have you been cutting out your favourite foods? Have you been restricting and depriving yourself?

SPEAKER_00:

I found it surprisingly easy. Um I haven't deprived I have three healthy meals a day. I have cut out snacking completely. Um and I get up off my butt and I go and I move. It's as easy as that, but having Molly and yourself as coaches when there's somebody just saying, Oh, you're doing really well, how about we do this now? Helps a lot in accountability for me. It's crucial.

SPEAKER_01:

So just to be clear, you've lost that much weight without cutting out your favourite foods or being restrictive.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh no, no, I eat anything I want. I still go out with my friends, I go out with my husband, we go out eating. Um there was one week I was out three nights in the one week, and I still lost weight that week.

SPEAKER_01:

Did you go on holiday as well?

SPEAKER_00:

I did, that's right. I went in holiday too. I went to crack off. Um I I put on weight when I came back from that, but while I was on holiday, I was a wee bit like my old self.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and that's okay. The the key is you crack on and get back into it when you're back from holiday, which you did.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

How do you think, let's say you didn't have all the support and accountability around you, and you'd you'd lost some weight and you went on holiday and you put on weight, how would you have felt when you got back?

SPEAKER_00:

It would have been a big spiral downwards. Um, my head would have gone down, motivation would have been low, um, negative thoughts would have crept in, and a big packet of crisps would have been bought along with a bottle of wine to wash it down.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so essentially what we say, chucking it in the fucking bucket. Oh, I failed again. See, I can't do this. Might as well just eat the crisp and drink the wine.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

But obviously, you didn't do that and you carried on and now lost you know almost 16 kilos in uh 11 weeks, which is very, very uh quick progress, but without being restrictive. What would you say you've gained on top of weight loss?

SPEAKER_00:

Um my moods are much, much better. I had been on antidepressants, I'm off them now. I've been on antidepressants for 20 years and I've been off them completely. I haven't uh leaned myself off and haven't had one now for three days, and I feel absolutely fine. Um I want to go out and walk, I want to go out with friends, I want to go out with my husband, I don't want to be in the house anymore. I am getting into clothes that I couldn't get into. Um I was saying to Molly, I had a night out with friends and my husband as well, and had on a dress I hadn't had on in two years, and I just I felt amazing. I was dancing while I was getting ready that night. I haven't done that for years, years and years and years.

SPEAKER_01:

That's incredible to hear, Jacqueline. And I want to make something very clear as well. Um, if anyone is thinking about we're not medical professionals, if you're gonna be coming off uh prescription drugs, obviously you need to get um professional help with that.

SPEAKER_00:

Sure, I did that with my GP.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Uh and so it sounds like you got yourself out of a vicious cycle where things were getting gradually worse. Um, you know, more weight going on, which means it's more difficult to move, which means more weight goes on, which means you feel more unhappy, which means you turn to food more, which means more weight goes on. Yeah, and now you're in the virtuous cycle where you're losing weight, you have more energy, you have more confidence, you better, your mood's improved, and therefore all those things become easier to carry on with.

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01:

I love hearing that. That's ultimately why we what why we do what we do, Jacqueline. Like, yeah, losing 16 kilos is is great, the numbers great, but actually it's the impact that has on the rest of your life.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So I know a big motivator for you was a trip to go to Japan to see your daughter as well, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_00:

Yep. Um we've booked it, we go um sort of mid-March, we're going for a fortnight. Um, yeah, and that's sort of one of my goals is to get on an aeroplane and not need a seatbelt extender. And I think I probably will already go on a plane and not need a seatbelt extender. Um, but it'll be interesting because my daughter hasn't seen me since August to see what she thinks when she sees me. So I'm looking forward to that as well.

SPEAKER_01:

Amazing. We did our honeymoon in Japan around the same time of year in 2024, and it was the best trip we've ever done. I absolutely loved it.

SPEAKER_00:

I can't wait.

SPEAKER_01:

What would you say is the main difference between what you've learned with the Never Diet Again method and Live 360 and everything else that you've tried?

SPEAKER_00:

There's not a huge emphasis on what to do with food with this plan, I've found. I found it's more to do with thought process and being in the right frame of mind and having the tools to know what to do. If I was on a night out and thought, well, I'm just going to drink that extra bottle of wine. Knowing how to get back into the swing of things the next day and carry on. It's having the accountability and the community as well. Without that, I don't think I would because I know what to do now, but there's no way I'll I'll leave the programme because without you guys and the community, I know I'll just go back to old ways and I've still got a way to go.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and you've really lent into the community. What's your experience been uh meeting and chatting to the other women?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it's great because everybody is in the same boat, and having the community to share just silly thoughts can be shared there. Nobody's going to judge you. You can get advice from other people who have done the same things, and the weekly calls are great too. Um people can relate to each other for lots of different things, not only um food-related items. That week call there. Um, there was one of the women who had said how she'd put on so much weight after both her parents died in a short space of time, and there was another woman in the call said exactly the same thing happened to me. So people are bouncing off each other. They're uh everybody is in the same boat and they can all sympathize and empathize.

SPEAKER_01:

How did you feel about the community beforehand? Were you nervous about it or sceptical or were you ready for it?

SPEAKER_00:

Didn't want to touch it.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

I was just like, I thought, oh no, I'll I would I would read to other people's posts, but I wasn't up for saying, hi yeah, here I am, this is where I am, this is where I want to be. Um, but Louise as well, she was very much um my wee mentor saying, No, get a wee post out. And so yeah, once I started, I couldn't stop.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and it's quite typical, you know. Often, to be honest, the first time that some of our clients have voiced their struggles out loud to another person is with me on the food freedom breakthrough call. So that's daunting enough in itself to open up to a strange 35-year-old man you met on the internet about your struggles. Um, but then to then open up to a group of women who you've never met can be even more daunting. Um, so it's completely normal to feel that way. But really, I think the community is one of the most valuable things that we have about the entire program. You know, we've got clients who have been with us for three years now, not because it doesn't work and they need, you know, they need um they're dependent on us, but because being part of a supportive community is fun and everyone's supporting, motivating, and inspiring each other. And it's fairly typical, people who are, you know, like yourself are nervous at first, but then actually once they start to open up and and they meet everyone else, it's so powerful to connect and realize that, oh, I'm not alone. Like there are other women out there who are struggling with very similar things and who are succeeding and who are lifting each other up.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_01:

What would you say to if you could kind of go back in time and have a conversation with Jacqueline who was just deciding whether or not she was going to join this program, what would you say to the skeptical, fearful Jacqueline?

SPEAKER_00:

I would tell her she should have done it months ago. Have no fear, jump, go, go forth, you'll do well.

SPEAKER_01:

And what would you say to someone else who's maybe listening to this podcast and is considering just booking in the initial food freedom breakthrough call?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I would say definitely do it. You're not a scary person, Max. Um I would say get the breakthrough call booked in, listen to everything that you've got to say, uh, and make your mind up. After hearing more in depth about what how you can transform yourself and your body, then there's no reason you wouldn't want to go ahead.

SPEAKER_01:

Cool. Well, thank you very much for sharing, Jacqueline. Um, it's been great to see your progress, to see you really jump in and take everything on board and really go gunda blazing and the results be for themselves. So I'm looking forward to what we can achieve over the next six months or a year as well. Me too. Thanks, Jacqueline. Thank you. Bye.