A woman who was struggling and felt uncomfortable at 12 stone decided to lose the weight without a gym, diets, jabs or surgery. Leaha Ureel, now 26, decided to lose the weight three years ago using psychological mind tricks to kick off her weight loss journey - and ditched three stone.
Student Leaha says she ‘gaslit’ herself into losing weight, explaining: “I just pretended I was already skinny. I studied habits backed by research by obesity experts about the subconscious behaviours of thin versus obese people.” Citing an academic article that found lean people tend to fidget for an extra two hours per day compared with obese people, she incorporated more movement into every possible part of her day.
Mimicking the habits of thin people, from twitching, fidgeting and standing to walking around while talking, “to full-blown caffeine addiction” that keeps you moving and visiting the loo, Leaha found she was burning an extra 350 calories a day. As she lost the weight and her energy improved, she saw a profound shift in motivation and energy levels.
With more energy, she then decided to hit the gym. Leaha said: “The term “gaslit” was intentionally provocative, but what I actually did was a deliberate identity and habit shift. I had been thin before and wanted to understand what had changed, so I studied books and listened to credible podcasts on behaviour, metabolism, and lifestyle habits.
“I noticed patterns common among naturally thinner people included more non-exercise movement like walking and fidgeting, smaller portions without obsessive restriction, caffeine use, and less emotional intensity around food,” says Leaha.
“I adopted many of those habits consciously. I started sneaking more steps into errands and running around outside with my dogs a lot more.”
Housework became her secret weapon as she transformed her personality from a long-term “messy girl” into a complete “clean freak”. “I started cleaning for a couple of hours every morning and I consistently cleaned throughout the day. I convinced myself that I am a clean freak after years of being a messy girl. It really is fake it until you make it,” she says.
“Cleaning became a strategic habit that helped me increase daily movement, regain executive function, and build structure into my life. I’d listen to audiobooks while cleaning, which made it both productive and genuinely enjoyable, treating it as a skill, not a chore.”
And instead of a calorie-restricted diet, Leaha “stabilised” her appetite by prioritising protein and fibre over junk food or carb-heavy snacks. “This included foods I enjoy. Not every habit was inherently healthy but they were realistic and aligned with how thin people live. The point wasn’t punishment or denial, it was consistency and sustainability. Cooking became a creative outlet. I experimented to keep meals fun, healthy, and high in protein,” she said.
She also reassessed her daily habits, and noticed how she had traditionally been drawn to scrolling her phone in bed or laying on the sofa and watching Netflix. As she started to lose weight and regained energy, she “started treating rest as something intentional rather than something I searched for between tasks”, she said.
“I started tackling tasks as they arose instead of hesitating. I focused on building more habits that made movement and health a natural part of my life, like parking further from stores, and walking a few miles to local spots like my coffee shop.”
The weight soon started to fall off, and within 18 months, Leaha had lost 40lb, or nearly three stone. “I noticed my energy was unlike anything I’d experienced before. Before I knew it, I was always vibing, happy with myself,” she says. “Multiple people in my life noticed and were inspired to start their own fitness journeys themselves.
“As I got healthier, I became more aware of my body and even my nervous system in ways I had been numb to before. It was a different kind of confidence I gained. Shopping and getting ready each day has become more enjoyable now that most things I try on fit me well. I used to gravitate only toward specific styles I knew would work for my body.”
Losing the weight was the first part, but for Leaha, key to her transformation was how she shifted her mindset and adopted consistent training into her routine. That was when my relationship with my body and self-trust truly shifted,” she said.
As she slimmed down, she did notice she was getting more attention, both positive and negative, from friends and strangers. " One unexpected part of losing weight was having to confront the insecurity that came with feeling prettier again,” she said.
But she is now a healthy BMI and has started strength training and calisthenics. Her focus is now on strength, function, and energy, rather than weight. “I didn’t realise how unwell and disconnected I was until I started to lose the weight. Being shorter, extra weight affected me quickly in day-to-day life - in my energy, mobility and posture. I feel better now, happier, healthier and much more energised than ever before,” she adds.
