In her early 20s, Ruth King was already miserable about her appearance. 'I felt very self-conscious and uncomfortable. I didn't like what I saw in the mirror and was often horrified when I saw myself in photos,' says King, now 30.
Choosing outfits was a nightmare too: 'I would pick clothes that were flattering rather than what I liked, and trying to find an outfit for a special occasion was stressful,' explains King.
As a specialist in diabetes care in an Exeter hospital, her own weight struggles were even more alarming.
'I lived a sedentary lifestyle - just walking up the stairs would make me lose my breath,' she says. 'I'm a healthcare professional and looking after diabetes patients I could see that I was on a path to possible health complications.'
'The real turning point was seeing a photo of myself on an electric scooter on holiday in October 2022.
'I remember thinking, "Oh my goodness, is that really what I look like?" I felt deeply uncomfortable in my skin and embarrassed by the photos.
'Then again at a New Year's Eve party, I struggled to find anything to wear and didn't recognise myself in pictures.'
After creeping up to a size 16 and weighing 13.8 stone (86kg), King was determined to lose weight and get a grip on her health. Here's how she did it...
EXERCISE
'I spent about six weeks trying to convince myself I could lose weight on my own, but eventually realised I needed help and signed up for a programme with a personal trainer named Rachel Solway (leveluptransformation.uk).
'Initially, I started with three strength training sessions per week alongside a daily step goal (8,000 steps, which remains the same now) and walking on the treadmill. From there, I gradually built up my fitness and eventually introduced running alongside my strength training.
'My strength training included lower body exercises, upper body exercises and full-body movements. The goal was to build strength gradually and consistently rather than doing anything extreme. Strength training has made the biggest overall difference to my body.
'I built up the running very gradually, and over time my fitness improved enough to train for and complete a half marathon (I joined Level Up in February 2023 and completed a half marathon in May 2024.) Consistency was far more important than speed or distance at the start.'
'I scheduled time to get to the gym around work - even when I felt tired. Scheduling exercise like an appointment and focusing on regularity rather than perfection made a huge difference.'
DIET
'Before, I was buying a lot of food at work, including meal deals, doughnuts, and high-calorie convenience foods. I also relied heavily on ready meals and takeaway-style foods. Switching to home cooking and meal prepping meant I wasn't spending money on convenience food every day, which saved a significant amount of money.
'Having my coach meant I learnt how to fuel my body properly and that I could meal prep without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Meal prepping involves planning ahead so I know exactly what I'll be eating during the week.
'I prepare things like high-protein pasta dishes, salads, oats, and home-cooked dinners. It doesn't take as much time as people think, and having food ready removes the temptation to make poor choices when I'm tired or busy.'
'When you know what you're eating and have healthy options available, it removes the need to rely on willpower alone.'
'It was all about being consistency - I still celebrated birthdays and went out for meals with friends, but the choices I was making would keep me on track.'
'I didn't restrict access to certain foods - if I wanted to have some chocolate that was okay! However I developed a mindset that focused in on the quality of the fuel I was giving my body, and therefore stopped reaching for the junk food.'
'Before, I was getting home from work and just sitting on the sofa and consuming large quantities of chocolate. Now, I don’t restrict foods completely, but I naturally choose more nutritious options most of the time. If I have chocolate, it’s in moderation and as part of a balanced lifestyle.'
MAINTENANCE
'I've surrounded myself with people who are on a similar journey, which really helps because it means making healthy choices is the norm. We meet for a walk and a chat rather than a night out - a much healthier choice. Also I feel like the choices I'm making to improve my health are celebrated, not questioned, by the group.'
'I was able to appreciate how the extra energy and nourished feeling was making me a happier person.'
Ruth says she loves looking at herself now in the mirror and no longer has to hide in the only clothes she deemed 'flattering'
'I also loved what I saw in the mirror and had so much confidence - that was great for keeping up the momentum to carry on the active, healthy lifestyle. I could wear what I wanted - no more hiding in the only clothes I deemed "flattering". I'd finally become the woman I'd always hoped to be, and know that my 80-year-old self will be thankful for how I'm taking care of myself now.'
'My friends and family were incredibly supportive. I live with my partner, Zack, and we have an eight month old daughter called Violet.'
'My family have been very supportive of my journey, and improving my health has allowed me to be a better role model for my daughter. As my results became visible, I received lots of compliments and encouragement.'
'My transformation also inspired my sister, and we started going to the gym together and completed running events.'
THE RESULTS
Weight drop: From 13st 8lbs to 9st 11lbs
Dress size drop: Size 16 to size 8
Total loss - 3st 10lb
Ruth's diet before
Before she kickstarted her weight loss, Ruth was stuck in a cycle of over-eating and restricting, which never lead to long-term weight loss.
- Breakfast: 'I skipped breakfast.'
- Lunch: 'I bought this while at work - it was all meal deals, jam doughnuts, cheese scones or fish and chips.'
- Dinner: 'I was eating ready meals, freezer food and anything breaded. I would cook with lots of oil, and not weigh anything.'
- Snacks: 'My snacks were largely crisps and chocolate.'
Ruth's diet after
Now Ruth's primary focus is on including protein in every meal, and eating whole foods rather than convenience foods.
- Breakfast: 'I have oats with Greek yoghurt for breakfast'.
- Lunch: 'This will be something like a pasta dish or a salad, all of which I get ready during my meal prepping sessions.'
- Dinner: 'I make a variety of home-cooked, high protein meals.'
- Snacks: 'My primary snack foods are fruit, vegetables, nuts and Greek yogurt.'
The Level Up program includes personalised training and nutrition plans, plus ongoing support. It costs £2700 for 12 months.