“I had irregular periods, hot flushes at night that woke me up and, sometimes, I felt an overwhelming feeling of panic, which is unusual for me,” Sandra Georgeson, 47, said of her perimenopausal symptoms.
The perimenopause had her feeling lethargic and low in mood, which wasn’t ideal when she herself is a therapist and runs her own adoption support agency. She felt bloated and thought she had long since seen the back of size 10 clothes.
“My usual weight loss methods didn’t work and I especially couldn’t shift belly fat,” Sandra recalled.
When a neighbour recommended trying out the ZOE membership, Sandra felt “skeptical” that it would really work for her. The ZOE membership differs from other nutritional programmes in that the dietary recommendations are based on your own gut microbiome, blood sugar results and how your body deals with fat. These are all established by tests done at home.
“The tests were straightforward, but you need a free day,” said Sandra, who had initially only signed up to a four-month membership.
Once Sandra got her personalised results back, she implemented the dietary recommendations the app recommended specifically for her.
“I was surprised to find that I process fat so well,” said Sandra, who, as a result, was now able to enjoy full-fat products.
“Greek yoghurt had always been a favourite of mine but I would only have the full-fat version on holiday. I now only have the full-fat version.”
Whereas Sandra would have seen nuts “as an occasional treat”, she could now enjoy them everyday.
“I eat more vegetarian meals now because the recipes in the ZOE app are really lovely and tasty,” she added. “I definitely now eat more lentils and beans.”
Making tweaks to her already-healthy diet resulted in Sandra losing 2.5 stone, shrinking down from 13 stone to 10.7 stone.
“My weight loss has been easy, continuous and enjoyable. I don’t feel deprived, because I love the food I’m eating,” Sandra revealed.
“I’m not confused anymore about food and what works for me. I no longer dread standing on the scales.”
Sandra added: “And I’ve noticed that my peri-menopause symptoms disappeared. My mood and energy levels are even. I’m sleeping really well too.
“People comment that my eyes and skin glow. I don’t feel bloated or uncomfortable. I feel more confident and happy within myself.
“ZOE has been life-changing for me. Eating my favourite foods, three meals a day, and not worrying about counting calories while losing weight and feeling amazing is just brilliant.”
Sandra beamed: “I thought I’d seen the back of size 10 clothes so I was chuffed to bits when I picked up clothes to try on in a shop the other day, and 10 is now a comfortable fit.”
ZOE is a science and nutrition company leading a movement to transform the health of millions. ZOE Membership, which starts from £25 per month, is a personalised nutrition programme that turns complex science into clear step-by-step actions to improve your health with every meal. Become a member at zoe.com.
