An overweight teenager who weighed 15 stone and consumed 4,500 calories a day drops an incredible two dress sizes in just six weeks purely by exercising more and ditching fast food.
Lucy, 18, lives in Lightwater, Surrey, with her mother Rachel, who weighs 17 stone and appears on 5STAR’s It’s Your Fault I’m Fat tonight.
The pair, who say they’re more best friends than mother and daughter, admit they’ve been comfort eating ever since Lucy’s father left six-and-a-half years ago – but now their diet is out of control.
Single mother Rachel does anything to keep her sales assistant daughter happy – including indulging on greasy fast food and snacks galore.
As a last resort the family have agreed to a total lifestyle change, and in tonight’s episode they go on a specially tailored diet prepared by a registered dietitian to reduce Lucy’s calorie intake to 1,500 – and hit the gym with a personal trainer twice a week.
Following their six week task, Lucy, who believes she can now fit into size 14 jeans instead of 18, sheds five pounds and loses 13cm from her waist, while her mother drops 12 pounds.
Lucy (seen right), 18, lives in Lightwater, Surrey, with her mother Rachel (pictured together), who weighs 17 stone and appears on 5STAR’s It’s Your Fault I’m Fat tonight
The pair (seen after their weight loss), who say they’re more best friends than mother and daughter, have been comfort eating ever since Lucy’s father left six-and-a-half years ago – but now their diet is out of control
Speaking about her weight, Lucy says: ‘Most of my food intake comes from snacking and I literally eat cake all the time,’ before admitting: ‘I’ll roll over in bed and find a snack wrapper stuck to me.’
The teeanger adds that while her mother is working nights, she’ll eat out of ‘pure boredom, nothing else’.
‘I just feel ginormous and absolutely huge,’ she confesses. ‘It makes me feel that everyone thinks that I’m gross and I feel like I’m gross.’
In the last two years, Lucy piled on three-and-a-half stone. She explains: ‘I think I’ve changed quite dramatically. My weight makes me feel like I have no self worth.’
Looking at pictures from her younger teenage years, Lucy says: ‘I just felt quite confident and it makes me feel quite nostalgic. Something has to change to break the cycle.’
Lucy admits during the programme that she feels like her mother hasn’t helped her with her diet, with Rachel admitting: ‘I don’t tend to argue with Lucy about her food. I do spoil her.’
Single mother Rachel does anything to keep her sales assistant daughter happy – including indulging on greasy fast food and snacks galore. Lucy pictured after the six week task
But Lucy says she would prefer her mother not do everything to make her happy and instead offer some tough love.
‘Sometimes you need to have someone not do everything just to make you happy but to do something because it’s in your best interest,’ she admits. ‘I feel like her saying yes all the time has definitely led to my weight gain.’
After reading a letter from Lucy in which she confesses how she feels, Rachel insists: ‘I think I have to start being more parent than best friend.
‘When I first noticed your weight, I didn’t want to as I was worried about upsetting you, then I’ve let it go on for too long.’
‘Lucy’s weight is partly my fault,’ the mother explains away from her daughter. ‘I haven’t taught her the best habits and I have used food to comfort her.
As a last resort the duo (pictured) have agreed to a lifestyle change and in tonight’s episode they go on a specially tailored diet prepared by a registered dietitian to reduce Lucy’s calorie intake to 1,500 and hit the gym with a personal trainer twice a week
But she adds: ‘I’m sick and tired of always being sick and tired, and I really want us to be fit and healthy.’
The pair start their six week task with a weigh in, with 5ft 3in Lucy weighing 15 stone 5lbs and her 5ft 2in mother coming out at 17 stone.
They discover that both their BMIs are in the red zone, meaning they’re at high risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and type 2 diabetes.
Lucy is given a diet plan of 1,500 calories, rather than her usual 4,500 a day, and despite her initial complaints over the food suggestions, she manages to shed seven pounds in the first week.
However, Lucy decides to reward herself with a fast food meal, and later admits: ‘I’m a bit disappointed in myself. It was good food and I enjoyed it but I knew I shouldn’t have had it.’
Following their six week task, Lucy (pictured), who believes she can now fit into size 14 jeans instead of 18, sheds five pounds and loses 13cm from her waist, while her mother drops 12 pounds
The mother and daughter duo continue their exercising and healthy diet plan, but during week six, Lucy becomes ill and is told to self-isolate because of her flu-like symptoms.
The sick teenager struggles to stick to her diet plan and exercise routine, while mother Rachel is also stuck at home self-isolating.
However, Lucy finds a bright side to the situation, revealing: ‘I put on an old pair of jeans that are a 16 and they are also too big, so we’ll have to find our size 14s.’
At the final weigh in, when it’s revealed Lucy has only lost five pounds, the teeanger struggles to read out the scales and starts to break down in tears.
But personal trainer Raymond, and her mother Rachel, who lost 12 pounds, insist they’re still proud of her, considering the unannounced illness she combated.
Although their personal trainer does confess: ‘Lucy knows she could’ve done better, that’s probably why she got a little emotional.’
Five weeks after filming, Lucy and Rachel are still going strong with their healthy habits, according to an update.
It’s Your Fault I’m Fat continues Mondays at 10pm on 5STAR.