I lost four stone in eight months but still enjoyed chocolate, wine and crisps – here’s how you can too

JANUARY diets are usually doomed to fail – so maybe we should change focus and instead enjoy wine, crisps and chocolate while still keeping the weight off for good.

That’s the message from mum-of-two Laura Meyer, 35, who shed 4st in eight months — and kept if off.

She stays in shape while regularly tucking into pasta or potatoes and even enjoys a glass of wine if she fancies one.

Laura shares her weight loss secrets and recipes on her blog at slimmingkitchensecrets.com — and today the Sun on Sunday begins a serialisation of her debut cookbook.

It’s perfect for anyone who wants to shift the festive flab and live a healthier lifestyle without feeling deprived of treats.

Laura says: “The minute you tell yourself you can’t have something, it’s the one thing you want.

“The last thing you want is to say you’re not going to drink on a night out, because that’s when you break.

“There are days when all I want is wine, crisps, chocolate and my kids’ fish fingers. I still have them if I want to and I enjoy every single mouthful.

“I love pasta and potatoes too, but it’s all about moderation and portion control. The key is not depriving yourself and not demonising food.”

As a child, Geordie Laura was a fussy eater but ended up scoffing more than she needed. She said: “I had no awareness of how much I should actually be eating.

“We all need different amounts of food, and I was probably eating four times more than I needed.

 ‘Turning point’

At university in Sheffield she indulged in huge plates of pasta covered in cheese and the pounds would pile on.

“I’d just pour loads of pasta into a pan and eat it all because I’d cooked it,” she says “I really started to feel uncomfortable in myself — slow, lethargic and unhealthy.”

By 2012 Laura’s weight had crept up to 13st 4lbs and she could no longer squeeze into size 16 clothes.

But when she moved to Manchester with a new boyfriend to start a new job, she vowed to take action: “This was the turning point, when I knew it was time to make a change, to lose the weight I’d gained, and keep it off.”

Over the next eight months Laura shed 4st and has stayed around a size 12 ever since.

She says: “I don’t talk about my exact weight now because people should make sure their goal is ­personal to them — less on the number and more about getting to where you feel most comfortable, which is different for everyone.”

Instead Laura recommends aiming to slip back into a favourite pair of jeans or dress that no longer fits.

Mum to Max, five, and two-year-old Violet, she does not believe in “cheat days” and always practises what she preaches.

But Laura is a northern lass who is not prepared to sacrifice going out and having fun with her mates because of the guilt of tucking into meals that are supposedly off-limits to dieters.

She says: “It’s just about getting organised. When I’ve got a big night out coming up, I look at the meal ­planner and work out what I am eating that week, so I know in my head how many calories I want to have left over.

“That way I can enjoy the same food and drink as my friends.

The key is not depriving yourself and not demonising food

Laura

“I’ll have a lighter lunch that day, so I can start looking forward to going out to eat and make sure it all evens out over the week.

“But maybe I’ll have a gin and slimline tonic instead of loads of wine, and share a pizza with someone.

“When I’m actively trying to lose weight I avoid wine because preparing a G&T takes a bit longer, and every second drink I just have the tonic. Honestly, it doesn’t taste that different to a ­single measure of gin.

“I don’t wake up too hungover and wanting a greasy fry up.

“Of course there are those days when all I want is wine and crisps but I have one glass and measure out a portion of crisps so I don’t feel like I’m missing out.

“Buying individual bags of crisps or pretzels rather than family size ones also helps reduce temptation.”

Laura also loves hosting meals for family and friends, and her most popular recipes include Burger In A Bowl, Broccoli And Bacon Pesto Pasta and Biscoff And Banana ­Pancakes.

And her husband Michael, 36, who works at a pharmaceutical plant, loves her fakeaway recipes.

She says: “If you do that, there’s no need for ‘cheat days’ as you will never feel like you are missing out.

“Batch cooking one day a week is your friend too. It’s a good way to avoid ordering a delivery when you just can’t be bothered to cook.

“It’s important to make sure that you are never in a position where ordering a takeaway is easier.”

As a food lover, the key to ­success for Laura was creating meals packed with flavour.

She said: “Basically, it had to feel like non-diet food. I truly believe that eating delicious food that you look forward to every day is the key to both losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“If I want pasta I will have it, but a smaller portion.

“If you have a sweet tooth, save 100 calories so you can have a fun- size chocolate bar as a treat.

“I often find I want something sugary with my coffee at 11am so I prepare dates stuffed with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate, so I can just grab one from the fridge — it’s better for me than biscuits.

“It’s all about filling up with goodness.”

• Slimming Kitchen Secrets: Good Food Without Sacrifice, by Laura Meyer, is out now (Michael Joseph, £22).