A school teacher who indulged in fast food every day and tipped the scales at 21 stone (275lbs) has a figure ‘like a celebrity’ after dropping an amazing nine stone (126lbs).
Nickael Briggs of South London says she used to gorge on takeout foods, donuts and carb-heavy meals, with her weight making simple tasks like climbing the stairs to her classroom at work a huge exertion.
The 28-year-old, who was a dress size 24 (US size 28), claims she started putting on weight in her teens, and always believed it was not possible for her to shed the pounds.
Shedding the pounds: South London teacher Nickael Briggs, 28, has shrunk by nine stone (126lbs) after being shocked by her reflection while munching on fast food
Nothing to her: The beloved teacher claims that she had always accepted that ‘I was big boned’ and would just always be a ‘bigger person’
Worried about the first impression her appearance made on her students, the secondary teacher says she finally made a life-changing decision to lose weight – and bravely told her classes to spur her on.
And now, at 10 stone 11 pounds (151lbs) and a size 10 (US size 14), she claims her proud students now tell her that she looks like a celebrity.
Nickael, from South London, said: ‘I was always a bigger girl. I always accepted I was big boned. In pictures I was always the bigger person. I was massive.
‘I loved fast foods and donuts. I’d eat takeout every day, and have meals like rice and peas. It was always carb-heavy.
‘At university I was at my heaviest, I was about 21 stone (294lbs). I was very anxious about being in a different environment.
‘I didn’t think it was possible for me to lose weight.’
Struggling: Nickael claims that she was eating carb-heavy meals and fast food every single day
Only going up: Nikael was at her heaviest point while at university, tipping the scales at 21 stone (294lbs)
Introductions: She was told about the Cambridge Weight Plan by a friend who had lost five stone (70lbs) herself
As Nickael moved into her teaching career, she says her weight was making her work at school physically exhausting.
The humanities teacher said: ‘Teaching is physically very demanding. My classroom was on the top floor. You needed to have a disability to use the lift and I didn’t want to ask, so I had to walk up the stairs and get sweaty and out of breath.
‘I was conscious about having sweat patches at the board, and I had to rearrange the tables so I could navigate around.
‘I never doubted my ability as a teacher. But first impressions are really important. I thought that if I was going to be encouraging people to meet their targets, then I needed to meet mine too.
‘I thought the kids were going to look at me and think, “How are you going to get me through my GCSEs?”‘
Nickael says she was introduced to Cambridge Weight Plan by a friend, but it took a shock look at her reflection as she enjoyed a fast food meal in the car for her to make contact with one of their consultants.
A new woman: After hearing about the plan, Nickael was shocked by her reflection while gorging on donuts in the car, and resolved to make a change
On her way: Upon signing up for the plan, she decided to tell her students about her goals, in an effort to keep herself accountable as the pounds started to melt away
Nickael said: ‘I saw a friend for a birthday and she had lost five stone (70lbs) and looked amazing. She told me about Cambridge Weight Plan and gave me the card.
‘I remember thinking at the time, “I’m not going to use this.”
‘A while later I had gone for some fast food and I was sat in the car with my friend with a box of donuts on my knee. I had a look at my reflection and thought, “This has to stop.”‘
The teacher started with Cambridge Weight Plan at the end of October 2015 weighing 19 stone, nine pounds (275lbs), and worked closely with her consultant Liza Harding-Buck to achieve results.
To ensure both she and her students kept focused on their targets, she told the children at school all about her weight loss goals too.
Nickael said: ‘ If there were times I felt like giving up, Liza would ask me, “What would you advise your students if they told you they wanted to give up with their GCSEs?”
‘I would respond with, “If you put it 100 per cent you will get 100 per cent out,” and that would be all the motivation I needed to keep going.
Changing looks: Now, Nickael says that her students think she looks ‘like a celebrity’
Steps: The plan sees Nickael using three Cambridge Weight Plan products including breakfast porridge, a bar at a break, pasta for lunch and a small 200-calorie meal at dinner
‘At school I publicly declared I was going to lose weight, and that I was going to work on that while they tried to meet their targets by the summer.
‘I needed that pressure. The students couldn’t believe I shared that, it was a big deal.’
Determined to keep motivating her classes through her example, Nickael says she found her food plan very easy to follow – and the weight began to drop off.
Nickael said: ‘I’d have three Cambridge Weight Plan products, so for breakfast I’d have porridge, at break a bar, and lunch a pasta meal or spaghetti bolognese, and in the evening I’d have a 200-calorie meal. It fit in well with my routine.
‘That’s what I love about the plan – you’re eating food and not missing out on anything.
‘The weight just kept falling off. I lost 14lbs in a month.
‘I wish I’d have known about it ages ago, but I didn’t think it was possible.’
Now, following her incredible transformation, and even being named Cambridge Weight Plan’s ‘ Woman of the Year ‘ for 2017, Nickael is embarking on a role as consultant herself. And she says she is incredibly proud to help encourage others to believe in themselves through her weight loss journey.
Proud teacher: Nickael credits some of her incredible transformation to her students, who cheered her on along the way
Making it happen: She was recently named Cambridge Weight Plan’s ‘ Woman of the Year ‘ for 2017 for her inspiring journey
Nickael said: ‘I went back to visit my last school and the kids did not recognize me at all. They were saying, “Miss, you look amazing!” and asking if I was a celebrity.
‘I recently received an email from a student who is now in sixth form but was in my class when I first set my weight-loss target. This student ended the email with, “btw miss, how’s the weight loss going?” I shared that I had reached my goal weight and also won Woman of the Year.
‘His response was brilliant: “Miss, I am so proud of you! You did it! That goal we set you last year, you have achieved it.”
‘Best feeling ever. I couldn’t have done it without the students.
‘And they feel like they can do anything now too. To be called a role model, it’s a big deal.
‘I was always quite a confident person, but now I feel unstoppable.
‘I speak in public all the time and I have a promotion. Before, I wouldn’t put myself out there because I would always feel self-conscious. Now I’m more confident in meeting new people.
‘When I won Woman of the Year I was rewarded for something I never thought would be achievable. I’m just realizing now how big of a deal this has been.’