Woman lost more than 13 stone after deciding to 'delay not deny' food

A Scottish woman who lost more than half her body weight has praised small, simple changes that added up to a huge transformation in her life. Karen Haffernan, who lives just outside of Glasgow, took action after she had what she described as 'a bit of a health scare and a bit of a difficult conversation with a surgeon.'

Instead of calorie counting she turned to to help her make a series of small, incremental changes and, over a period of around 18 months, she lost 13 and a half stone, which works out at more than half her body weight having started at 26 and a half stone.

She says physically and mentally she's the fittest and strongest she's ever been, 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 explained how her health transformation had changed her life, giving her more energy as well as a host 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.

Fitness and wellbeing have soared in popularity in recent years, with a particular boom around the time of the pandemic as people tried to stay fit during lockdown. Ranging from meal tracking apps like and through to digital workout programmes like, there are now lots of options to help people keep a tool to help reach their fitness goals close by in a pocket or handbag.

The incorporates different elements from many of these apps into one, with fitness options ranging from strength training and cardio through to chair yoga, alongside a host of other high-tech tools. There's NutriScanner, which can track the nutritional value of meals simply by using a photo and an intermittent fasting tracker for anyone wanting to swap calories counting for the popular method, which is also used in plan that aims to boost metabolism by adjusting the timing of meals. There is also an AI-powered assistant, Avo, which can provide advice and answer questions throughout the journey.

The is currently 60% off for all new signups when users use the code REACH60 at checkout. When people sign up they will be asked to fill in an online questionnaire and their goals and preferences around diet and exercise. This is used to build a fully tailored plan based on an 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 one of more than 17 million users worldwide who have downloaded the app to help improve fitness levels. She has been compensated by Simple for her honest testimonial. Results on the app may vary and people should undertake medical advice before making major changes to their lifestyle.

has an average rating of based on more than 28,000 reviews. One recent 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."

The app isn't for everyone, though. One three-star reviewer commented: "I feel tied to my phone. It's not good for me."

However, that portability was a plus 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.

is available on Android and iOS and is currently 60% off using the code REACH60 at checkout.