A Coalville woman has shared her top tips of how to maintain and enhance weight loss - with help from Leicestershire County Council's expert nutritionists at the Weight Management Service.

Joanne Murray has credited the service with helping her lose nearly four stone.

Residents across Leicestershire and Rutland can benefit from the free Weight Management Service, delivered by Leicestershire County Council.

The Weight Management Service also offers free specialised services for families, pregnant women, men, and people with learning disabilities.

Joanne, 43, used the service last year to start her weight loss journey.

Working night shifts as a nurse for the NHS, Joanne found herself snacking regularly and felt uncomfortable in her body.

Over the last six months she has lost considerable weight and is now training for a 10-kilometre run, having completed the NHS 'Couch To 5k' programme.

Joanne said: "It really has been a journey for me. I

"I have a new lease on life. I'm a lot more confident and have more energy to enjoy doing the things I now love, like running and swimming."

As part of the free service, residents are partnered with an experienced nutritionist who develops a suitable plan with manageable goals.

They offer tailored advice and guidance to help people make better decisions for their health and adopt healthy habits.

Councillor Louise Richardson, cabinet member for health, commented: "It's great to see Joanne's story, demonstrating how the weight management service really can transform people's lives for the better.

"As a council we're happy to be supporting those who want to make a positive change for the sake of their health.

"I'd encourage anyone who feels they struggle with weight loss to reach out to the free service and see if it's right for them."

Zaheera Chatra, Strategic Lead Integrated for Lifestyle Service for Public Health, said: "When we first decide to lose weight or be more active, we should be asking ourselves why we want to do that and how we can achieve it realistically.

"Whether it is for our physical health, to improve our lifestyle or wellbeing or give us confidence about how we look; understanding our motivation and keeping it in mind can help us stay on track in the long-term."

Joanne has shared her top tips on how to reach and maintain a healthy weight over a long period of time.

• Make everyday changes

• Being conscious of what you are eating, how much of it, and why can help you to understand your eating habits and how they can be improved.

• Committing to switching to a wholemeal bread or stopping adding sugar from a hot drink, can make a big difference.

• Don't expect too much, too quickly

• It isn't healthy to lose weight too quickly, and it isn't possible to maintain when that happens.

Joanne added: "I set myself a goal to lose a pound every week, but I weigh myself every month.

"If I have a less successful week, I can make up for it the next."

Set a routine

Instead of saying you want to exercise every other day, be more specific. For example, aim to walk 10,000 steps every day.

Joanne says that the responsibility of walking her dogs a set distance each day made her enjoy being active.

Ask friends and family for support

By sharing your goals with friends and family, they can offer support and help you to remain committed. Offer to prepare a meal for them or suggest meeting for walks or exercise activities.

Joanne's daughter put together a playlist for them to listen to when they go running.

Change your perception

Maintaining the mental stamina is a big part of the process, so it is important to remember your motivations.

Consider how far you have come and recognise the change in how you feel, rather than just the numbers on the scale.