I’ve never had a serious struggle with my weight, but I’ve always been conscience about it. Being an avid reader, when I was younger, I would pick up any magazine that was bought home – usually with a gorgeous model on the front, whose body type was the polar opposite to mine. I know now that I will never, and should never, want to have that because that’s not me. But as a teenager I was always conscious of how that was deemed beautiful – and other body types were not.

At 29 years old, I have grown up to realize that although I won’t have the figure of a Victoria Secret model – I can aim to be fit and healthy. I used to do sports at school and now I go to the gym 1-3 times a week. Early mornings are my arch nemesis and having a tendency to stay late at work to get a job done – you could say that going to the gym isn’t my first priority. However, eating well and doing things like taking the stairs instead of the lift are things that I do every day to try keep in shape.

After some not so deep reflection it has occurred to me that weekends are my hurdle. I love trying new places to eat, which comes with enjoying a few glasses of wine or beer. It’s a treat and I love it. Although, that ‘treat yourself’ attitude tends to follow me from Friday to Sunday – when I usually lambast myself for giving in to every burger, fries and rosé option which comes my way. It turns out I’m a big advocate for justifying the weekend binge with the week-day health food focus.

I started taking Calocurb initially to see if it would help with my binge cravings over the weekend, after a friend who was taking it mentioned it to me. I’m usually pretty good at making sure I’m eating healthy over the week, but hey, if it worked for the whole week then I wouldn’t be sorry to see that 3pm Lindt ball snack temptation disappear. About half a day after taking my first capsule (I take it in the mornings), I felt that I didn’t feel as eager to eat lunch when I usually did (12.30-1.00pm). I also felt the same around dinner, which meant I ended up with a much smaller portion than usual. Pleased at this stage, I decided to keep it up. I did have a bit of an upset stomach on the first day for a little while, however after reading the science behind the capsule it all sounded normal and that quickly disappeared by dinner time.

After a week of taking it and each day being pleasantly surprised at how little I craved my meals or snacks – the test of the weekend was upon me. At meal times I felt that I didn’t need to dig into that extra order of fries for the table or order a smoothie with my brunch meal. I was quite content with my salad, or small main – with no added extras afterwards (because goodness me - I am quite partial to a little bakery or cabinet treat after going out for a meal, I’m looking at you - caramel slice). I was really happy that I still got to go out and enjoy all the things I love, but had cut back on the meals and treats that used to make me regret my eating decisions on a Sunday. As simple as it does sound – I actually feel in control of my eating habits a lot more while taking Calocurb.

I have to confess that I am not a regular taker of Calocurb, I will take it for a few weeks on and off and I still feel the same benefits as when I first started. I took it recently a few weeks before I was due to be a bridesmaid at one of my best friend’s wedding, I had to be looking good for those professional photos!

I feel comfortable in my own skin but knowing that I can have that extra bit of willpower when I do want to feel better and loose a bit of weight that I can personally tell has crept back on, is really important for me. I don’t do extreme diets, but I use Calocurb to help maintain my weight, so I can keep on doing the things I love and not feel so constricted by eating plans and calorie counting – because if I wasn’t on Calocurb, one sniff of a brownie or rosé on a hot day - and I’m off that wagon. I’m really happy with the way Calocurb has worked for me and the fact that I can adjust it around my lifestyle is absolutely ideal.

Rachel is a Marketing Manager in Auckland, New Zealand.