‘I KNEW THE ONLY WAY I’D STICK TO A DIET WOULD BE TO BEGIN ON CHRISTMAS EVE’
Vicki Prais, 49, is a human rights lawyer who lives in north London
My wake-up call to lose weight came on Christmas Eve in 2019, when I took my first trip to Slimming World. At the time, I weighed 12st 9lb, and I was a size 16. Although the weight had been building up for a long time, I noticed that it started to accumulate around my abdomen. I was also struggling with chronic indigestion, and the pain was starting to become unbearable.
I’ve worked as a lawyer for more than 20 years. Sometimes my job involves dashing between court cases, but on the whole it has become more sedentary as my career progressed. I spent a lot of time at my desk, and it was all too tempting to reach for a sugary snack to boost my energy. I didn’t enjoy going to the gym, so it was hard to find the motivation to lose weight.
A few months after I joined Slimming World, the pandemic hit. The links between severe Covid and obesity came as a sharp awakening. I had been ignoring the fact that my weight was not only affecting how I felt about myself, but also putting my health at risk. I remember thinking: “If I can start a really serious diet program on Christmas Eve, a time typically associated with indulgence, then that gives me the best chance of sticking to it, and being successful.”
I had tried Weight Watchers before, but found that the weight crept back on after a couple of months. This time around, I knew that I needed to reshape my whole lifestyle, without entirely relying on a slimming club. By carefully monitoring my portion sizes, and reframing the balance of foods that I put on my plate, I managed to bring my weight down to 10 stone, and my dress size to a 12. Instead of pursuing fad diets, I focused on finding ways to enjoy exercise and make it part of my daily routine. To stay motivated, I keep a photo on the fridge door
of me at my heaviest. It is a constant reminder that “Big Vicki” is someone I never want to be again.
How I eat
I’ve never been a big drinker, so giving up alcohol wasn’t much of a sacrifice. My weakness is sweet treats, so my first priority was to get out of the habit of snacking. I completely changed the way I looked at food, and also decreased my portion sizes. I still eat carbohydrates, like baked potatoes and rice, but I have added more salad and vegetables into my diet. I have also discovered foods such as tofu, which I incorporate into stir-fries. Where I can, I opt for fat-free alternatives.
What I eat in a day
Breakfast A bowl of Shreddies, or sugar-free Alpen with strawberries and skimmed milk. Snacks I get peckish around 11am, so I have an apple with some fat-free yoghurt.
Lunch I tend to have “deli-style” lunches, like Ryvita with cottage cheese, or Philadelphia, with some chopped tomatoes or cucumber.
Dinner A jacket potato with cheese and beans Evening 15g of Green & Blacks chocolate.
Lifestyle asides
Carbs I’ve dramatically cut down my pasta intake, and replaced it with rice or potatoes.
Caffeine I don’t drink coffee, but I always have a pot of tea on my desk.
Guilty pleasure Ritz crackers.
Alcohol If I go out to see a friend I will have a gin with slimline tonic
Sleep I’m a bit of a night owl, and have a bad habit of staying up late on my laptop.