Emma's PCOS Miracle

Name: Emma
Age: 36
Start weight: 229lbs
End/Current weight: 159lbs

1 – Tell me about your previous dieting attempts.

From about 17 (on and off): Slimming World, Mum’s strange grapefruit/beetroot print-out from work, Rosemary Connelly, Slimming World (again), Paul McKenna, Weight Watchers, Joe Wicks 90-day SSS, Fighter Diet and Keto.

SPOILER ALERT… the weight went straight back on (and more) at the end of each one.

2 – How did you hear about Munro?

After my weight inevitably crept back up after ‘finishing‘ with Keto, I remember stumbling across Munro.

It was the day I finally snapped and decided there MUST be an easier way to lose weight long-term without gimmicks, rules, points, or restrictions than to keep throwing money at time-bound and unsustainable ‘plans’.

I wanted to think for myself when it came to opening the fridge instead of feeling paralysed about what I was ‘allowed’ to eat. Was that so much to ask?!

At that point, I also recognised there HAD to be some basic scientific theory and principles around weight management that these *cough*money-making rackets*cough* ‘ slimming clubs’ based their products/plans upon… so I straight-up opened my laptop and googled something like ‘food education’ or ‘food fundamentals’ to try and get straight to the source as best I could. At some point, my scroll-hole discovered Munro Nutrition…

I felt Jason’s no-nonsense approach was the next best thing to going back to education and studying the complexities myself, as he had already done the legwork in this area to dissect and deliver it back to the general population in a much more accessible and straightforward way.

I am also a big fan of visuals and analogies as a way to learn/remember things, and Jason is so great with breaking down complex theories this way too.

However, after being formally diagnosed with PCOS in 2017, I faced the challenge of getting my BMI from 33 to at least 29 to qualify for IVF treatment. This triggered me to sort the problem once and for all, and Jason also had some research and knowledge in this specialist subject. I was hoping that he might have some ideas for me regarding working around the condition, which can notoriously make it more difficult for weight loss to occur.

3 – What made us stand out from everything else out there?

It’s been a few years since I joined, so I can’t recall exactly, but as a natural sceptic, I always appreciated the Munro firm-but-fair approach. It wasn’t expensive to join up and take a punt on either, but I won’t lie… If I had just paid a nominal amount for a single month’s membership, rather than investing in three upfront, I would have ditched it almost immediately when I realised Jason was never going to spoon-feed every single piece of information to me.

I remember feeling pretty miffed when presented with some *actual reading* to digest, but I took the bull by the horns and decided to soak up all the information anyway – to at least get my money’s worth…

It turns out it was the best money I have ever spent!

4 – Did anything about our approach almost put you off from joining?

Facebook! *shudders* after spending almost a 3rd of my existence on it, I went cold turkey a couple of years prior, so I was really reluctant re-open that Pandora’s box. Instead, I set up a new account purely for group access, and I purposely have 0 friends on it, so it doesn’t zap the time and energy from me as it once did because I’m a real sucker for social media. (as some of you might know from my Instagram profile/s 😉).

I appreciate why it is the ideal platform for Munro to use, though, because once you’re in, it’s so well-organised and easy to use.

Oh… also, I was worried about step targets that might be put upon me too. I walk miles daily without a second thought now, but before I started, I would have had an ‘energetic’ day at around 6-8k. Sure, a step goal is encouraged in the group, but if you relate to my former self, please don’t let that be the reason you decide to put off joining. You can do as much or as little exercise as you wish, and believe it or not, I made my most significant progress leaps by doing less cardio and following an all-around more enjoyable diet.

Baby steps!

5 – What made you happiest about being a Clan member?

Clan-Munro is a fun, supportive community where LOLs are shared daily. I have never consistently eaten as many delicious meals in my life, and it’s primarily thanks to the sharing of ideas/experiences/menus etc., from the group, most of whom you could go and start following right now on Instagram by searching for the Munro hashtags.

The ‘clan’ always have a motivational message to share when you might not be feeling it, and it’s a great way to geek out with like-minded people without boring the pants off your real-life friends and family who you fear may be eye-rolling on your ‘latest diet attempt’..!

6 – What have you achieved as a Clan-member?

Although I comfortably qualified for the two rounds of IVF we endured, I can be safe in the knowledge that I can never look back and say that I didn’t do everything that was asked of me to give us the best shot, even if the results ultimately proved fruitless 🥲

(Jason’s note: See my addition towards the end about this)

However, I have come out of the other side, for the first time in my life, with optimism and the true belief in myself that I can achieve the things (within my control!) that I set my mind to with patience and persistence (and without giving up when things get tough!)

Also, despite PCOS (which I had formerly used as my ‘excuse’ as to why I could never lose weight..!), I was successfully able to lose an additional 22kg in half the time it took me to lose 10kg (using other methods mentioned previously) after joining Munro. I have completely re-trained my brain on its thoughts around food/diets (particularly anything I would have formally described as ‘naughty treats’!) and overhauled my fitness as a by-product.

My BMI now sits comfortably in the “healthy” green zone at 23/24 and has done for well over 12 months. I no longer have to dodge cameras, gravitate to the XL section in shops (I can even fit into some kids’ clothes now!) and I’ve even felt confident enough to brave a few new styles too.
(But I’ll always be happiest in a dino-tee 🦖)

7 – What has exceeded your expectations since working with us?

I no longer need to weigh or track daily, but when I did check in with my coach, the feedback was always precise, tailored, and personal. I believe that the actual value of the group is the daily posts and live chats; the team put a lot of research, time, and effort into them, as well as regularly inviting in world-class guest speakers, so I always take the time out to listen/watch as soon as I have a window of time (usually while out walking). I am never disappointed; they’re the main reason I don’t want to leave!

8 – Why would you recommend us to others?

No-nonsense, evidence-based food education for LIFE… not just for a one-off event or beach photo. This sense of food freedom and learning about energy balance is one of the greatest things I have, or probably ever will, learn in my lifetime. All the coaches are also MNU qualified, the UK’s leading evidence-based nutrition consultancy. They constantly dispel myths and cut out all the overcomplicated nutribollocks designed to keep you returning to the billion £££ diet industry. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!!

9 – What would you tell someone thinking about joining us?

Get involved! In the past, I might have just joined a group, absorbed the info and then lurked… but the moment I decided to engage with the group was a huge game changer! Unfortunately, I feel that ethical plans like Munro will always face an uphill struggle in marketing themselves on their educational and long-term benefits against the murky sea of celebrity-endorsed quick fixes and fads, but when you do join, you soon learn it is 100% not necessary to go hungry, take loads of supplements or undertake gruelling exercise regimes to lose weight and keep it off for good! Jason makes a point about not benefitting from affiliates, sponsorship, donations or advertising. He also doesn’t have ‘target’ members who have to pay again if they don’t maintain within a few lbs of their arbitrary weight goal number either; he WANTS to see you fly the nest permanently!

10 – How confident are you that you can now take everything you’ve learned during your time with us to go on and maintain the results you’ve achieved?

100% Certain. I’ve learned enough about food psychology and my body’s needs to never unconsciously return to my starting point. I don’t want to stop learning; there’s always room for improvement, but I feel ‘free’ of diets forever. I am grateful on a daily basis for the support and knowledge Jason and the team have passed on. That life-changing aspect alone is nothing but PRICELESS. Thanks, guys. Emma xx Now, this WAS the end-point of Emma’s time with us. As you read in her testimonial, she had resided herself to the fact that parenthood wasn’t meant for her and her husband. So, you can imagine my surprise when I opened a letter one day and inside was a hand-drawn card (Emma is a cartoonist) and inside was a beautiful note along with a scan picture!