For as long as I can remember I’ve battled with my weight. 

At my heaviest two years ago, I was 14st 11lb – at 5ft 4in my body mass index (BMI) was 36, meaning I was obese. And I knew it was damaging my health.

Tests showed I was prediabetic, edging towards type 2, and I hated looking in the mirror.

I had mastered the art of standing behind people in photographs, hiding behind oversized smocks and baggy jeans. 

Every Monday I’d say: ‘This week it all changes,’ vowing to start another diet. But, like clockwork, every Friday I’d be opening the prosecco, good intentions forgotten.

As a 45-year-old mother-of-one, my experience is far from unique. Between the sleepless nights, juggling a full-time career as a freelance journalist, approaching perimenopause and keeping up with a toddler, taking care of myself always came last. 

I’d been a yo-yo dieter, but after turning 40 the extra weight was ever harder to shift.

Every time I convinced myself to do something about my weight, I focused on a new diet trend. 

I’ve tried everything including the Atkins diet, Slimming World and Rosemary Conley’s Hip and Thigh Diet. I’d lose a few pounds but always found them again fairly quickly.

When I went on Mounjaro weight-loss jabs last year I lost 2st 5lb in six months, but stopped after developing inflammation in my gallbladder – a side effect of rapid weight loss.

The jabs helped me reach a weight I hadn’t seen in years. But instead of feeling healthier I felt exhausted. I had no energy, struggled to exercise and relied on vitamin B12 injections just to function.

And then, inevitably, I regained more than a stone – two-thirds of the weight I’d lost.

Lynn Carratt, 45, lost 12lbs in six weeks in The 30g Plan. She says: I’ve found a way of eating that fits around real life, fuels my workouts and doesn’t leave me feeling deprived’

At her heaviest, Lynn was 14st 11lb – at 5ft 4in her body mass index (BMI) was 36, meaning she was obese. And she knew it was damaging her health

The idea is you stay fuller for longer while also improving gut and digestive health and boosting your immune system. It sounded ideal.

It was a wake-up call. I promised myself something had to change. I needed to lose weight differently with a lifestyle I could live with.

More than anything, I wanted my energy back so I could run around after my daughter Mia, four, without feeling permanently exhausted. 

Then earlier this year a friend mentioned nutritionist Emma Bardwell and her 30g Plan.

Her evidence-based philosophy is surprisingly simple: 30g protein every meal, 30g fibre a day and 30 different varieties of plant a week.

The only problem? I don’t enjoy cooking. So would it work for me?

Week One: Breaking the snack habit

Starting weight: 90.4kg (14st 2lb)

Preparation, I quickly learn, is key. Picking out recipes from Emma’s The 30g Plan Cookbook, I add ingredients to my online shop and note, with horror, that the cost has rocketed to nearly double.

Suddenly I’m buying ingredients such as flaxseeds and edamame beans and, much to my husband’s horror, £5 vanilla bean paste. But I’m committed now.

Usually my breakfast consists of two coffees and maybe, at a push, a protein bar. But instead I’m prepping pots of Greek yogurt and ingredients such as chocolate, pistachio nuts, banana and chia seeds.

Surprisingly it only takes 20 minutes to prepare several breakfasts at once, and they taste delicious. Lunches become just as straightforward. Butter beans and feta on sourdough with cottage cheese, peas and edamame quickly becomes a favourite because it requires very little effort.

 Emma Bardwell’s evidence-based philosophy is surprisingly simple: 30g protein every meal, 30g fibre a day and 30 different varieties of plant a week.

The 30g Plan was developed by nutritionist Emma Bardwell, pictured above, after she found her health began to suffer in midlife

But the biggest surprise is I am genuinely not hungry. Normally by 3pm I’m rummaging through the cupboards, but now I am not thinking about food at all. For someone who’s spent years battling cravings, that feels almost miraculous.

Week Two: Finding meals I actually enjoyed

Weight: 89.3kg (14st 0lb)

Stepping on the scales I’m absolutely thrilled to see I’m 2lb down despite not at all feeling like I’m dieting. The cooking is a faff but I decide on one rule – if a recipe takes more than 25 minutes, I’m not making it. Life is busy enough.

I also work out how to throw meals together myself that fit the plan. 

First, I get my head around what 30g of protein actually looks like. That’s roughly 200g of Greek yogurt, a chicken breast, a salmon fillet or 200g of tofu. 

Do you want to lose a stone in six weeks?

 

Hi, I’m Emma Bardwell, a nutritionist with more than 15 years’ experience helping people improve their health and lose weight.

I’ve been there. I was overweight, unhappy with my skin and stuck in a rut. Then I changed the way I eat. You can now do the same with my tried-and-tested healthy eating plan. And for DailyMail+ subscribers, it’s completely free. 

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It doesn’t have to come from one food either – cottage cheese, eggs, lentils and nuts can all be combined to reach the 30g target.

Then every meal needs a source of fibre to help me reach the 30g-a-day target, such as a bowl of porridge (5g), a slice of wholemeal bread (3g), half a tin of beans or lentils (8g), a cup of raspberries (8g), a tablespoon of chia seeds (5g) or a few almonds (4g). 

Combined with a range of vegetables to hit the 30 plants-a-week goal, meals feel huge and filling.

I start working with a trainer at AdMac Fitness who encourages me to increase my daily step count and introduces weekly weigh-ins to keep me accountable. 

Seeing numbers drop is satisfying, but the energy boost is better. After months of forcing myself through the day, I am finally wanting to exercise again.

Week Three: More energy and focus

Weight: 88.4kg (13st 13lb)

Something has shifted and I’m no longer constantly thinking about my next snack.

Instead I’m focusing on what I can add to hit my targets – a scoop of cottage cheese, more chia seeds or a dollop of yogurt.

Planning what to eat, rather than worrying what I can’t have, is a much healthier mindset. I’m also more focused and my concentration has improved.

By mid-afternoon I’d normally need a nap, but that isn’t happening. And overall I feel like myself again. My husband James comments I seem particularly cheerful, and I have to agree.

I’m looking forward to reformer pilates classes and have restarted the Couch To 5k running programme, which I abandoned during Covid when I became pregnant. I’m not gliding gracefully around the park but I’m out there, which feels like progress.

In the evenings I used to be really fatigued, but now I’m putting on a wash, cooking dinner and staying on the go until 9pm.

I also notice something else surprising: my weekly food bill has started to come down.

Stocking up on store cupboard essentials is expensive, but they last for ages.

And because I’m not constantly buying convenient meals, grabbing lunch to go or topping up on snacks every few days, I’m spending less overall.

Lynn’s breakfasts included pots of Greek yogurt and ingredients such as chocolate, pistachio nuts, banana and chia seeds – which take only takes minutes to prepare

Lunches were just as straightforward. Butter beans and feta on sourdough with cottage cheese, peas and edamame became Lynn’s favourite, because it requires very little effort

Week Four: Better digestion

Weight: 87.6kg (13st 11lb)

Twice  a week I spend 20 minutes preparing breakfasts and lunches, and Emma’s dinner recipes mean there are usually leftovers too.

It saves both time and money, but more importantly it stops me reaching for convenient food simply because I’m busy.

I still snack, but it’s more mindful. Instead of demolishing half a packet of sweets I grab grapes, a banana or some Greek yogurt, which is a huge achievement.

And I’ve started looking at vegetables differently. Instead of treating them as an optional side, I make them the foundation of almost every meal. 

Tomatoes and spinach with an omelette at breakfast; peppers, cucumber and edamame at lunch; roasted broccoli, or courgettes with dinner. They count towards my 30 plants a week, add fibre and bulk out meals. I’m also less bloated and my digestion has improved – everything has become very regular.

I also start noticing I’m physically stronger during workouts.

The real test comes when I go to watch Take That perform and climb what feels like a million stairs to reach my seat. Normally I’d be puffing halfway up. Instead, I make it to the top thinking, ‘Actually, that wasn’t too bad.’ Little victories like that mean far more than another pound disappearing.

Week Five: Lighter and happier

Weight: 86.8kg (13st 9lb)

The weight is coming off steadily and my dresses feel looser.

The slower approach feels healthier than the rapid weight loss I had on Mounjaro.

My mood is improving and I’m less snappy as I’m sleeping better too. I always struggled to drop off at night, sometimes tossing and turning for hours. But I’m falling asleep more easily, which means mornings feel more positive.

Everything definitely feels like less of a struggle and I’m feeling genuinely relaxed about food.

I’m not panicking about going out for dinner, although I am making good choices. Rather than just going for a salad, I choose something that contains protein and fibre and will fill me up: a chicken dish or risotto that ticks boxes and won’t leave me hungry.

The 30g Plan Cookbook by Emma Bardwell (Vermillion, £20.00) Photography by Kate Whitaker 

I want this to be real life, not another plan I abandon.

One meal never ruins your progress. I’ve spent years believing I either have to be perfect or I’ve failed completely. 

Finally, I realise it’s about what you do most of the time. For the first time in years, I feel like I’m learning habits I can actually stick to.

Week Six: More than just weight loss

Final weight: 85kg (13st 5lb)

By the end of six weeks I’ve lost 12lb. But what I’m proudest of is how I feel. I have more energy. I’m sleeping better. Exercise no longer feels like punishment.

Of course, I’d like to lose another 3st ideally. I’ve got a trip to Ibiza booked later this year and would love to feel more confident in a swimsuit. I’m still a size 18 and would like to be a 14.

I want to look in the mirror and smile instead of spotting everything I’d change. More importantly, I want Mia to grow up seeing a mum who’s healthy, active and full of energy.

Will I stay on the plan itself? Probably not strictly. But I feel comfortable knowing I can adapt my own meals using Emma’s basic tips. I’ll stick with yogurt for breakfast, edamame and cottage cheese for lunch, and cook the occasional meal from her book in the evenings.

I can simplify it because I understand what works and how to apply that. Six weeks ago, I thought I was starting another diet. Instead, I realise I have finally changed my relationship with food.

I’ve found a way of eating that fits around real life, keeps me full, fuels my workouts and doesn’t leave me feeling deprived.

After years of chasing quick fixes, that’s something I never thought I’d say. And it feels like the biggest achievement of all.

For Zita Wells it took a ‘funny turn’ while shopping at her local chemist to realise that something was very wrong with her health.

The pet carer, 45, had been feeling more tired than usual in recent months – and regularly found herself breathless on dog walks that didn’t usually make her break a sweat.

‘I couldn’t understand why I felt so shattered, but as it happened so slowly there didn’t seem to be anything I could pinpoint,’ said Zita, who lives in Sussex. ‘I was usually super-active but my body just felt like it was made of lead. I tried to get more sleep but that didn’t help.’

Then, while out shopping for an upcoming holiday, Zita encountered a new sensation.

‘I was overcome with a strange feeling of weakness and wobbliness, and found myself sliding to the ground, despite being totally conscious,’ she says. ‘My body became floppy. One moment I just felt a bit vacant, and the next I was on the floor.’

After booking an urgent appointment with her GP, Zita was sent for blood tests. Within days she had an answer: she was severely deficient in vitamin B12, an essential nutrient responsible for producing red blood cells, repairing DNA and maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system.

‘I didn’t know what B12 was until I learnt that I was deficient in it,’ said Zita. ‘But as soon as I heard the symptoms listed, it all made sense.’

Experts say Zita is one of a growing number of Britons being hit by a silent epidemic of vitamin B12 deficiency – dubbed the ‘hidden hunger’.

Zita Wells almost fainted in her local chemist – and after urgent blood tests was diagnosed with a B12 deficiency

Cases of B12 deficiency appear to be soaring. Experts say this is partly because symptoms, such as fatigue and brain fog, are non-specific and common to many other problems

Current figures estimate that about one in 20 Britons are affected, with older adults even more at risk – data shows the condition affects as many as one in five adults over the age of 50.

And cases appear to be soaring. The number of patients hospitalised with the condition has tripled since 1999 alone. Yet for many, B12 deficiency – which can cause a wide range of vague symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, a sore tongue and tingling in the hands and feet – is still going undiagnosed.

Experts say this is partly due to symptoms developing slowly over a few years – and the fact they tend to be non-specific and common to many other problems.

But even more concerningly, they say, available tests for the condition are also deeply unreliable – correctly identifying it just 50 per cent of the time. As a result, millions of Britons could be living with deficiencies for years – risking irreversible nerve damage, heart failure and even death.

‘Two decades ago the medical establishment thought that nutrition in developed countries was no longer a problem – because we eat plenty of food,’ says Professor Martin Warren, a synthetic biologist at the Quadram Institute.

‘It’s only in the past five years or so that people have been discovering the worrying problems we’re still having with nutrition levels. And B12 deficiency is a key example of that.

‘More and more Britons are struggling with it. And the older you get, the more prevalent it is. Yet we still don’t have adequate testing – or enough awareness about the condition. People are slipping through the net.’

Also known as cobalamin, B12 is mainly found in animal and dairy products such as meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese.

Most people will get enough of the nutrient from a normal, balanced diet alone – the recommended intake is 1.5 micrograms a day, which can be found in two large hard-boiled eggs, or a 3-ounce cut of beef.

But those who follow a vegetarian diet are far more likely to have insufficient levels – while vegans are almost guaranteed to be deficient.

People who eat a diet high in ultra-processed foods may also be more at risk, research shows, as high-sugar, high-salt and high-fat products ‘crowd out’ more nutritious staples, leading to deficiencies.

In most cases, vitamin B12 deficiency causes relatively mild symptoms, such as fatigue, pale skin, a sore or swollen tongue, and difficulties with concentration and memory. However, in severe or prolonged cases it can lead to serious complications, including vision loss, heart problems, cognitive decline, dementia-like symptoms, stroke and, in rare instances, psychosis.

The condition made headlines this year after the death of university student Georgina Owen, 21, who took her own life while experiencing what a coroner described as ‘delusional beliefs’ linked to a severe vitamin B12 deficiency caused by her vegan diet and failure to take supplements.

An inquest heard that Ms Owen, from Essex, had displayed erratic behaviour and a marked deterioration in her mental health in the weeks leading up to her death.

Most of the time, when B12 deficiency is caused by a restrictive diet, experts say the solution is simple – vitamin B12 supplements are available over the counter and work well for most. Others, however, will struggle to metabolise the vitamin regardless of how much they consume – requiring regular B12 injections to keep their levels topped up.

The autoimmune condition pernicious anaemia can cause B12 deficiency when immune cells attack healthy cells in the stomach, rendering it unable to absorb vitamin B12.

Certain drugs – including proton-pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, which reduce stomach acid, and the diabetes medication metformin – can also cause B12 deficiency by blocking the body’s ability to process it.

I THOUGHT IT WAS THE MENOPAUSE

When Lucy Smith’s Apple Watch suddenly told her to see a doctor immediately due to changes in her heart rate, the mum of two assumed it was a stroke.

‘I had previously been diagnosed with high blood pressure, so I immediately thought the worst,’ says Lucy, 54, who runs a small business in Devon.

‘But when I got to the GP’s office, he looked at the data from my watch and instead sent me for blood tests, to see if I was anaemic.’

B-12 injections immediately improved Lucy Smith’s symptoms

Lucy wasn’t, but the blood tests did pick up something else that was wrong with her: she had a severe vitamin B12 deficiency.

‘I was put on injections once every three months, and they immediately improved symptoms that I had previously assumed were just the menopause,’ she says.

‘I had been struggling with tiredness, irritability, bleeding gums and not being able to sleep very well for years. Suddenly, these were gone.

‘I feel so much better now.’

But another group of Britons are also at high risk of developing the condition: older adults.

‘As we get older, our body produces less acid in the stomach,’ says Professor Warren. ‘This is what breaks down food and releases B12 into our system – so as a result, adults over 60 are much more likely to become deficient.’

As we age, he adds, we also tend to eat less – which can further exacerbate the issue.

The trouble with this, say experts, is that B12 becomes more important for our bodies the older we get. A number of studies published in recent years have investigated the role the vitamin plays in ageing and muscle function – and revealed a disturbing truth. One 2026 study from Cornell University found that low B12 could interfere with the DNA inside muscle cells – causing muscle wastage and loss of strength.

While the body naturally loses muscle as it ages – leading to increased risk of injury, higher blood sugar levels and reduced mobility – B12 deficiencies could hasten the process, the researchers warned.

However, maintaining adequate levels of the vitamin could reverse the problem, another recent study from the University of Alabama found, examining the effect of B12 supplementation on aged female mice.

This could be an especially important area of research, says Prof Warren, due to our growing understanding of the importance of muscle to healthy ageing – with studies increasingly suggesting that muscle strength is a better predictor of lifespan and mortality than body mass index (BMI). And with an ever-older population – and a rise in vegan and vegetarian diets – the number of Britons deficient in the vitamin is only rising.

‘Older adults are more likely to be on medications that block B12 absorption, as well as naturally producing less stomach acid, so it becomes a perfect storm,’ says Professor Warren.

‘It’s much more common than people realise. In a room of 20 people, one person, statistically, will have B12 deficiency. If it’s a room of over-50s, that shrinks to one in five.

‘Many more than realise it may need to be supplementing the vitamin.’

Despite its prevalence, detecting the condition remains difficult.

The first hurdle, says Dr Ali Niklewicz, a nutrition scientist and researcher at the University of Surrey, is that the symptoms of a B12 deficiency can also be attributed to a wide range of other issues.

‘Tiredness, fatigue, tingling in the hands and feet, brain fog – these are all quite vague,’ she explains. ‘And many people can have a B12 deficiency for a very long time without realising it.’

Many women, like Lucy Smith, wrongly attribute the signs of deficiency to menopause, which can cause similar feelings of fatigue and cognitive impairment, says Professor Warren.

Some believe they have dementia, he adds – and some may even end up being wrongly diagnosed with the condition.

‘Although there’s more awareness now about B12 deficiencies, there’s still very little expertise on the clinical side. Nutrition has dropped off the curriculum for medics in recent decades,’ says Professor Warren.

But even more concerningly, he says, existing tests for the condition are deeply flawed.

‘The most common NHS process is to measure the total amount of B12 in blood serum – but this marker is remarkably unreliable,’ he adds.

‘Because we only need a tiny amount of B12 in the first place, it’s a very hard thing to measure. When someone is already deficient in the vitamin, you’re measuring a tiny amount of a tiny amount. As a result, there’s less than a 50/50 chance that you’ll get the right diagnosis if you are deficient. It’s not really a test that’s worth doing, but we’re still using it.’

Better ways of testing for the condition do exist – but are more expensive and less readily available.

‘There are tests that, rather than looking for B12 in the blood, look for the cells that B12 creates when absorbed by the body. When these aren’t there, it strongly implies a lack of the vitamin – and is a much better measure of deficiency. But they’re much more costly tests to run,’ Professor Warren says. ‘The NHS needs to revise how it handles B12 deficiency.’

At present, patients who do get tested for the condition, yet have results that don’t clearly show a deficiency, are often turned away without treatment.

This was the experience of Catherine Watkin, 57, who spent more than two decades suffering from a B12 deficiency which was so severe that it often left her unable to work.

‘I was a recruiter in London in my early 30s when I suddenly began feeling unbelievably exhausted. I could hardly function – despite changing nothing else in my routine,’ says Catherine. ‘I went to so many GPs and alternative practitioners over the years but they could never find out what was wrong – despite doing numerous blood tests.

Catherine Watkin spent more than two decades suffering from a B12 deficiency which was so severe it often left her unable to work

Having spent an estimated £100,000 on treatments, Catherine was eventually put on a course of B12 injections. Within weeks, she felt her tiredness begin to melt away

‘By my 50s I began to develop neurological symptoms as well – searing pain in the tips of my fingers and brain impairment – and was having to take a lot of time off work.

‘Even going for a shower would exhaust me to the point of having to lie down.’

Over the past 15 years, Catherine tried treatment after treatment to cure herself, spending an estimated £100,000 on therapies for her thyroid and adrenal glands, and even having dental work – but to no avail.

Then, 18 months ago, a new doctor, after hearing her symptoms, immediately suggested B12 deficiency.

Finding a private clinic in Cambridge, Catherine was put on a course of B12 injections, despite her levels showing up as normal on blood tests.

Within just weeks of the first jab, says Catherine, she felt her tiredness begin to melt away.

‘It was miraculous,’ she adds. ‘Today, I’m totally symptom-free. I’m back to living my full, normal life. I just wish I had figured it out earlier.’

While testing remains as it is, the best route to getting more Britons diagnosed with the condition is by raising awareness, say experts.

Anyone – particularly if over the age of 50 – experiencing the typical symptoms of B12 deficiency should raise them with their doctor and ask for a B12 test, they advise.

And as for GPs, says Professor Warren, even if results appear to be in a grey area, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

‘If a patient is getting borderline B12 tests back, GPs should refer them for a more detailed test. Then see if there’s an improvement after taking B12 – and the best way to do this is by getting an injection.’

For those concerned, but who don’t have a deficiency, it’s worth simply being more conscious of what you eat, particularly as you age, says Dr Niklewicz.

‘If you eat a mainly plant-based diet, make sure to take supplements,’ she says. ‘Older adults on various medications are also at increased risk.’

But be sure to take any B12 supplements with a meal – she warns – as this will allow for much better absorption of the vitamin due to the spike in stomach acid needed to digest food.

‘It’s important that people are aware of B12 and nutritional deficiencies in general,’ says Dr Niklewicz. ‘But the good thing about it is that, once found, it’s very treatable.’