"I was so large that I had to make a pit stop for pants on my way to the office, and someone jokingly called me pregnant."

A mother who gained so much weight that she had to make a pit stop for new trousers on her commute to work was shocked when someone in a meeting asked if she was expecting a baby. Determined to make a change, Francesca Bell, a 41-year-old marketing manager, conducted her own research and developed a unique "Britalian" diet that allowed her to shed six stone in just eight months while still enjoying pizza, pasta, and wine. Francesca revealed that she had previously attempted numerous weight loss methods, including trendy diets, hypnosis, meal replacement drinks, and homeopathic solutions, but found that "nothing worked."

Standing at 5 feet 4 inches, she revealed that she hit her peak weight of 95 kg (14 stone 13 pounds) in 2024, struggling to squeeze into her clothes. At a work conference, one colleague even inquired if she was anticipating her third child. Following a trip to Italy, Francesca made the decision to explore "the Italian way of eating," diving into research from institutions like Harvard and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

She established a calorie cap and created a set of "golden rules" inspired by Italian customs, like avoiding milky coffees after 11am and opting for a sweet breakfast. She reported seeing significant weight loss as a result. Between May and December 2024, she shed 6 stone 4 pounds while savoring over 365 croissants, relishing in pizza, pasta, and desserts, and enjoying wine – dubbing it "The Britalian Diet."

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Francesca shared with PA Real Life: "This journey was ignited by that trip and all the events that preceded it. I gained so much weight that I resembled someone who was pregnant, yet even that wasn't sufficient motivation for me back then."

"It feels surreal how much I've transformed, both in my appearance and my emotions – I can actually see my jawline and cheekbones! I've come to understand that achieving balance is key, and you don't need to eliminate all the pleasures from your life. It's entirely feasible to shed pounds while still indulging in the things you cherish."

Francesca mentioned that she has experimented with various trendy diets, hypnosis applications, and meal replacement shakes, but none have proven to be "sustainable." She shared, "The most ineffective one I attempted was homeopathic drops."

"Every morning, you take a few drops under your tongue, claiming they aid in weight loss when paired with a strict diet. I tried that approach for maybe two days before coming to the conclusion that it's just not sustainable."

Francesca mentioned that she was "never significantly overweight," but over the course of the pandemic, she noticed the pounds "slowly accumulating," ultimately reaching her peak weight of 95kg (14st 13lbs) in 2024. She expressed feelings of being "disheartened, ashamed, and annoyed," but a particular incident from a work conference in March of that year remains etched in her memory as one of the "most challenging experiences."

"I work from home, which means I rarely need to don corporate attire, but the night before, I rummaged through my closet to try on my work outfits, and nothing fit," Francesca explained. "I ended up having to make a quick stop at MandS and picked up a larger pair of trousers, squeezing myself into a size 18."

"I found myself in the changing room, overwhelmed with tears, questioning how I allowed things to get to this point. To make matters worse, during that same conference, a coworker had the audacity to ask me if I was expecting, and they did it right in front of everyone."

Francesca planned a dream vacation to Italy with her husband and their two kids for the end of April, and arranged for a professional photographer to capture family moments. She was optimistic that this would inspire her to shed some pounds, but by the time they arrived, she admitted she "hadn't lost any weight at all."

It wasn't until she reviewed the photos later, which she admitted to "disliking", that she "finally found the right perspective". "There's something about poor-quality vacation pictures. They really make you reflect and think, 'I've had it with this'," Francesca remarked.

After returning home, Francesca said she started thinking about the trip, the people they had met and the food they had eaten. She said she had read that Italy had been ranked one of the healthiest countries in the world and, since she did not want to "get back on the restrictive dieting treadmill", she started doing some research online.

"I have a real passion for Italian cuisine, and I’ve always been curious about how they manage to stay fit while enjoying pizza, pasta, and gelato," she remarked. "I figured that if they can achieve that balance, then I should be able to discover their secrets and mimic their approach."

Francesca mentioned that she delved into various articles, medical research, and clinical trials, gaining insights into Italian "food and movement habits and traditions." She engaged in conversations with several Italians regarding their dietary practices. While some principles were straightforward, like the importance of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into her diet, she discovered other intriguing customs—such as the rule against drinking milky coffees after 11 a.m. and the tradition of enjoying a sweet breakfast, typically a croissant paired with jam. To maintain her health, she established a daily caloric intake of approximately 1,400 calories, minimized her consumption of ultra-processed foods, and opted for more substantial meals during lunch and dinner, including options like sandwiches with salad, pasta, pizza, and lemon-garlic chicken served with vegetables and potatoes.

Francesca mentioned that she began taking 10,000 steps daily, but still enjoyed her wine with dinner, opting for smaller glasses. She also indulged in desserts like gelato and fruit pudding. "I discovered that the weight was coming off without feeling constantly hungry, and I didn't have to eat bland meals like grilled chicken and salad. It was simply fantastic," she shared.

Between May and December 2024, Francesca reported a weight loss of 88 pounds (6 stone 4 pounds), bringing her current weight to approximately 53 kg (8 stone 5 pounds). This change has seen her size drop from a UK size 18 to an 8. She coined the term "The Britalian Diet" while showering and has authored a book of the same name, where she elaborates on the "habits and unspoken guidelines" that have significantly changed her life.

She is convinced that enjoying meals, choosing high-quality ingredients, and emphasizing balance rather than restriction are essential for sustainable weight loss, alongside cultivating a positive mindset. She expressed, "There comes a moment when you feel like nothing is effective and nothing ever will be."

"I used to think it was hopeless; I would never be able to shed the extra pounds and would remain trapped in this mindset forever. However, I've come to understand that losing weight doesn't require following a strict fad diet. I've broken free from the endless cycle of stress, and now I finally feel a sense of tranquility."