The Kick-Start champ

Just seven months ago Tamarah Palmer was at her heaviest - and her lowest. A size 26, she weighed in at about 120kg. But now she has halved her weight and it's largely thanks to the Kick-Start Soup Diet.

A heavy smoker and drinker, Ms Palmer was caught in a spiral of depression.

"Drank way too much - alcohol is a very easy way to put on weight - smoked probably nearly a packet of cigarettes a day," she said.

"It didn't seem to connect that what I put in my mouth would reflect how I felt."

The mother-of-four was drowning in emotional and physical problems.

But in seven months Ms Palmer went from size 26 to size 10 thanks in part to the Kick-Start Soup Diet, which she started after a friend gave her a copy of the diet.

"Everything was fresh and wholesome and good and I thought 'well, this is a lifestyle change'," she said.

Disclaimer
The information on todaytonight.com.au is made available for information purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Also, the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information is not guaranteed. AOL|7 does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional.

She says she lost around 8kg on the first week of the diet.

Stage one of the simple diet, aimed at kick-starting a healthier eating regime, is based on a low-fat, low-carbohydrate soup accompanied by whole foods.

Heart specialist Dr Andrew Sindone tried the plan and lost 15kg in six months.

He was so impressed he recommended it for his patients.

"With the Kick-Start you can get some weight off and then hopefully keep losing it once you're on a healthy diet," he said.

Of course alcohol, fried foods, oil, bread and soft drinks are forbidden and exercise is a must.

But dieters, don't despair - Ms Palmer say it's worth the pain.

She says the Kick-Start plan gave her the inspiration to really push her weight-loss goals.

"The rest of it fell off like that, through exercise and sticking to a healthy diet," she said.

"I'd found though it wasn't tough any more to say no to fatty foods, I didn't have the same cravings as what I did before. So yeah, it was just a great big lifestyle turnaround. It taught me to control myself."

Before starting any new eating plan you should consult your doctor to see if it is right for you, particularly if you are taking any medication.For the Kick-Start plan, click on the links below.''Disclaimer
The information on todaytonight.com.au is made available for information purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Also, the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information is not guaranteed. AOL|7 does not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on the information. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional.''