Guiding light Lenny helps blind owner Elvira shed five stone

Elvira Haeussler, from Horsforth, Leeds, who has been blind since birth, has lost 5 stone since joining LighterLife weight loss management classes in January.

She decided to make the change when, after reaching a size 18, she found it difficult to bend down and pick up guide dog Lenny’s harness.

The slimmer undertook the Total programme, where ordinary eating is replaced by four specially-formulated food packs per day, alongside weekly counselling sessions.

After moving on to Route To Management in August, where food is gradually reintroduced in a controlled manner combined with the counselling, she managed to shrink to a size 10.

“I hadn’t realised quite how much I’d put on until my size 18 trousers were getting too tight,” said Elvira, who moved to Britain from Germany to study English and is now working for the Open University.

“The counselling is invaluable. I’ve taken on everything I’ve learnt about changing my eating patterns on board.

“Guide dogs aren’t trained to run so I can’t go running on my own. But I’ve become a lot more active and walk Lenny a lot more which he loves.

“He’s also stopped scavenging for naughty foods in the kitchen as they’re not there anymore!

“I can’t see that I’ve lost weight, but I can feel it. I’ve a lot more confidence.”