Before the programme, each lady met with Hannah in her studio in Tinahely, Co Wicklow for guidance on the exercise programme, as well as advice on healthy eating and maintaining a food diary.

Hannah says:

“For all three ladies, we are working on a balanced diet of ‘everything in moderation’ with a focus on aiming to hit the five-a-day fruit and vegetable target and also increasing water intakes to ensure adequate hydration. Keeping it simple in the early stages is important so that it is more realistic and easier to ease into.

“Once the first week has been completed, we can assess the food decisions made and move forward to gradually improve and tweak the food choices over the weeks that follow. Bad food habits are often formed over a period of months and years so changing these habits gradually is generally more manageable and more sustainable, which is what we are aiming for here: building habits in food and exercise in slowly to make them long lasting and sustainable.

“For Mary we are looking at approximately 1200 calories per day combined with her exercise programme. As Mary’s metabolic rate is a little bit sluggish, a slightly lower calorie allowance plus daily exercise will help to hit a weekly weight loss target. As we age the metabolism slows down, so a more concerted effort with precise food planning plus exercise to create the calorie deficit required to lose weight is needed.

“For Majella and Cathy we are looking at approximately 1400 calories per day alongside their exercise programmes. Both ladies are busy mums so it can be difficult at times to get everything exactly spot on, but with a focus on planning ahead by using the food diary to make better decisions and stay within the calorie allowance, hopefully it will be easier to stay on track and not stray too far with the pre-planning and food decisions already made.”

Here is how they all got on in week one.

Name: Catherine- Anne Malone

Age: 27

Start weight: 16st 3 1/2 lbs

Goal: To feel fabulous for her graduation in September.

“I’m getting out every evening for a walk with the dogs and my daughter, Shauna. This week I'm going to step it up a bit and go for a walk in the mornings or evenings on my own so I can do some power- walking. I am also going to do Hannah's workout three times a week.

“I'm finding cutting out crisps and chocolate the hardest. I'm drinking much more water during the day and cutting out fruit juices, which I drank in buckets.

“The food diary is a great help. I am starting to realise the calories in different foods and the foods that are high in calories that I hadn’t thought were before.

“I’m hoping to be more strict this week and give it my all.”

Name: Majella Thompson

Age: 40

Start weight: 12st 5 1/2 lbs

Goal: Body confidence and “me time.”

“I learned a lot from Hannah. I learned my body is more muscular than “average”, which makes my body heavier on the scales than it appears to be visually i.e. if your muscle mass is 7lbs more than most other people, you will essentially look half a stone less than the actual weight you are on the scales. This is because muscle is more compact and takes up less space than fat, so 1 lb of fat looks like the size of a block of butter whereas 1 lb of muscle will take up about the size of a matchbox.

“We worked out together so I could use her DVD at home! On the DVD her workouts are fast and I'm training at the moment to try keep up with her!!

“Walking was difficult last week as I had no alone time before the kids’ bedtime, so I had the kids with me for my walk (slow and steady), but I managed to get them on their bikes and scooters to speed things up a bit!

“The food diary is very easy to use and a fantastic tool. Making the time to key into it is a challenge and one I'll improve on this week.”

Name: Mary Coen

Age: 56

Start weight: 12st 13 1/2 lb

Goal: To lose a stone and take part in a charity fitness event

“I’m doing my toning exercises three times a week, and then walking/ cardio five days a week. Hannah told me that my shoulders are very weak, so I’m trying to build up my muscles there, as well as do exercises for my arms, tummy etc. Since I started the power-walking, I find I’m getting a lot more value out of my walk.

“What is more difficult is the food, as I am on a 1,200 calorie per day plan. For example, I would be a bread lover so now I’m down to just one slice a day! But I find the food diary very helpful and I am able to check the calorie content of a lot of different products.

“But so far, so I feel really good. Before I found myself being sluggish, but now I have more energy than I had before.”