A manager who “ate (her) feelings” to cope with the grief of losing three family members has lost seven stones in a year after a necklace became the catalyst for change. At the age of nine, Marv Young, from south London, lost her 18-year old brother Alan, followed by her uncle Douglas when she was 13 and her father Jonathan when she was 26.
Food became her coping mechanism for grief, and the 51-year-old senior benefits manager reached her heaviest weight of 17st 5lbs (110.5kg) at 5ft 1ins tall in 2021 – but she was “in denial”. Despite a life-changing multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis that same year, it was not until she was gifted a necklace in 2022 that she knew her life needed to change, as it did not fit around her neck.
This led her to the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan and – with one-to-one consultant-led support, weigh-ins and meal replacement products – Marv lost seven stones and dropped from a size 22 to 10 in one year. She now weighs 10st 2lbs (64.5kg) and feels “phenomenal”, and has even become a 1:1 Diet consultant to help others “feel as good as (she feels)”.
She told PA Real Life: “I’ve been fat throughout my whole life… this is the first time in years that I’ve been slim. This whole journey just started off with dropping a few stone and what’s happened to me along the way has been amazing.I got more than I bargained for, and I feel phenomenal.”
Marv had a normal childhood and played netball at primary school, but when her brother Alan died she started “emotionally eating”.
“I grew up sharing things with my brother and then, one day, he just wasn’t there,” Marv explained. “Coming from a Caribbean household, food is a form of love, so even though my sibling was no longer there, my mum was still buying the same amount of food.
“She was still shopping the same way and, obviously, I didn’t have anyone to share the treats and foods with, so I was just eating them. I guess that’s when my relationship with food – emotionally eating – happened.”
Aged 13, Marv lost her Uncle Douglas, a taxi driver – and her father, Jonathan, died of heart attack when she was 26, further compounding her trauma. Sweet treats, including cookies and muffins from Marks and Spencer, became a “comfort” to her – and she enjoyed Caribbean dishes like curry goat with rice and peas and macaroni and cheese on the side.
She said her weight gradually increased, but she was in denial for many years. “I was that person where, if the jeans didn’t fit, it’s the washing machine, if my ring got too tight, my hands are swollen,” she said.“I was in complete denial.”
Marv had been suffering from back pain for several years, but thought it was related to her “getting older”. However, when she started experiencing pins and needles down her body, along with a tightness in her torso, she knew something was not right and sought medical advice.
After numerous tests, MRI scans and a lumbar puncture, in 2021 Marv was diagnosed with MS – a lifelong condition which affects the brain and/or spinal cord. Studies have shown obesity can increase the risk and severity of the condition, according to the MS Trust.
“I just thought, ‘Why me? What have I done to deserve this?’” Marv said. “I was telling everybody, ‘I’m good, I’m alright’, but I was eating my emotions, so by the time I got the medication for my MS, I had put on at least another two stone.”
Marv said she reached her heaviest weight of 17st 5lbs, but it was not until she received a gift in December 2022 that she thought: “Right, I need to do something.”
She continued: “My goddaughter bought me a necklace and I couldn’t fit the chain around my neck. My neck was so fat I couldn’t fit the necklace around it… and I thought, ‘Oh my God, how embarrassing, can I really go and tell her to change this gift?’ And I thought, ‘No, you just can’t do that’.The necklace was the icing on the cake.”
From this point, Marv knew she needed to change her diet and lifestyle. Her weight was not just affecting her own health – it threatened her ability to care for her 95-year-old mother Sylvia, for whom she is the sole caregiver.
Having previously tried other diets and weight-loss programmes, Marv decided to do some thorough research and came across the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan. The 1:1 Diet is a tailored weight-loss plan that provides one-to-one consultant support for every dieter and offers a range of meal replacements and products – including pastas, soups, shakes and bars.
Marv started her personalised plan in January 2023 and lost seven stones in one year, with her shoe size even reducing from a UK size 5 to 4. She said her consultant Deborah Adams was her “biggest cheerleader”, and she now weighs 10st 2lbs and has dropped six dress sizes – leading her to win the 1:1 Diet Woman of the Year award.
Marv said she now enjoys shopping for clothes as she has “choice” and she has completely transformed her mindset and relationship with food. Her MS is currently stable, her medication has reduced and her mobility has improved, and she wants to encourage others to talk about their emotions and “believe in themselves”.
Marv said: “I experienced so much grief, but I always believe you have options. You can either let things consume you or you can rise above it, so I chose to rise above it and not let it dictate who I am and the person I was becoming.
“I’m a new woman and now the necklace fits.”