The UK is home to a wide variety of birds, and many gardeners are keen to make their outdoor spaces welcoming to them.

There are several ways to do this, including putting up a bird box or a bird feeder, as well as installing a bird bath.

However, planting a number of different shrubs can also help encourage birds to spend a bit of time in your garden.

7 plants that help birds to flock to your garden

In a video on his YouTube channel, Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh called ‘How to Transform Your Garden Into a Paradise for Birds!’, the broadcaster brought up the topic of which plants to have.

He shared: “Another way to encourage birds to come to your garden is to plant things they will find useful, particularly in terms of food.”

For example, the Beautyberry or ‘callicarpa’ is a berry-bearing plant that robins and sparrows love.

Alan added: “Stick it at the back of a border where it will be background for most of the year, but then come autumn, look what it does, it really draws your eye.”

The 76-year-old also advocated for the Firethorn and Cotoneaster Horizontalis as examples of plants that birds were attracted to for their fruit.

He added: “Don’t be cross with birds for nicking your berries, that’s half the reason why we plant them really.”

Birds also appreciate a number of different thorny plants for shelter, so Alan recommended getting Berberis or Holly as they help repel any predators.

Some forms of Holly can also have another impact in providing some fruit for the birds to snack on.

A couple of trees can also be useful for nesting and feeding purposes if you have them in your garden.

Alan said: “Trees not only bring height to a garden, but they also provide nesting sites and feeding sites for birds.

“Cherries flower earlier in the year in summer, and as anybody who’s grown a cherry tree knows, birds love the fruit.”

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Some crab apple trees work for this, too, such as the Golden Hornet crabapple variety.

The tree produces a bright display of yellow fruit that’s not too big for a modest-sized garden.

Birds especially like the fruit when it gets quite soft after having been on the tree for a little while.

Do you have any of these plants in your garden? Let us know in the comments.

With so many natural spectacles packed into the U.S., planning sightseeing trips can be a conundrum — the choice is bewildering.

With this in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 10 must-visit-at-least-once landscapes that should be inked into your bucket list. These are places that have mesmerized tourists, stolen scenes in Hollywood movies and adorned millions of postcards — wild America at its most theatrical.

Our round-up includes a canyon in Arizona so vast that storms sometimes form inside it, a geothermal wonderland in Wyoming containing half the world’s geysers, a waterfall in New York that will leave you awe-struck (even if it does seem familiar) and a valley in California that’s home to some of the world’s most famous cliff faces.

Alaska claims two entries, thanks to an epic glacier and an extremely lofty mountain, while Oregon makes the cut thanks to a lake that’s surreally beautiful.

In Hawaii, there’s the coastline that wowed Steven Spielberg and a bizarre monolithic rock that caught his attention in Wyoming.

In New Mexico is a jaw-dropping desert that looks like it’s covered in snow.

1. Grand Canyon, Arizona

While there’s a postcard familiarity about the Grand Canyon, nothing beats experiencing the humbling majesty of the chasm in real life.

Carved by the Colorado River over millions of years (with rocks as old as two billion years old), the gorge, an uncontested entry on the seven natural wonders of the world list, has an immensity that’s almost difficult to comprehend.

A mile deep and up to 18 miles wide, and stretching for 277 miles, it’s one of Earth’s most jaw-dropping landscapes, and so huge that storms sometimes form within it.

The South Rim offers one of the best ways to experience the Grand Canyon. It’s open year-round and is where you’ll find viewpoints such as Mather Point or Yavapai Observation Station. The canyon is also a popular day trip from Las Vegas by helicopter.

Great place to stay: El Tovar Hotel (rooms from $270) is set directly on the canyon rim and is imbued with historic charm. It was built in 1905 as a cross between a Swiss chalet and a Norwegian Villa.

Read more: A sober guide to Napa Valley

2. Yellowstone’s geothermal drama — Wyoming/Montana/Idaho

Thanks to a vast supervolcano lurking beneath the surface and heating the groundwater, Yellowstone National Park — which spans Wyoming, Montana and Idaho — is a geothermal adventure land, with around 10,000 hydrothermal features making it seem as if the land itself is breathing.

The 3,472-square-mile park features brightly colored hot springs, mud pots, travertine terraces and between 500 and 700 geysers (roughly half of the world’s total).

The most famous of these is Old Faithful in Wyoming, which blasts water up to 180 feet in the air around 20 times a day.

One of the best ways to view the park’s theatrics is to walk the boardwalks around Wyoming’s Upper Geyser Basin, home to Old Faithful and around 150 other geysers.

Great place to stay: Old Faithful Inn (rooms from $205, open May to October) oozes rustic simplicity — there’s no wifi or air conditioning, for example. But on the plus side, you’re within walking distance of the world’s most famous geyser.

Read more: How to have an authentic Yellowstone experience in Montana

3. Niagara Falls, New York

Around one million bathtubs of water pour over the edge of Niagara Falls every minute during peak flow. It’s a sight — and a thundering sound — that you’ll never forget.

Niagara comprises three waterfalls — the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, which are both in the U.S., and the vast Horseshoe Falls, which straddles the U.S./Canadian border.

The best way to experience the spectacle from the U.S. side is from the close-up viewpoints on Goat Island, which sits with the American and Bridal falls on one side, and the Horseshoe Falls on the other.

For perhaps the most awe-inspiring encounter, board the Maid of the Mist electric boat tour, which will take you right into the mist of the falls.

Great place to stay: The Giacomo is set in a restored Art Deco tower just minutes by foot from Niagara Falls State Park and the bridge to Goat Island.

Read more: 22 free things to do and see in New York City, from beaches to secret gardens

4. Yosemite Valley, California

Few would argue that Yosemite Valley delivers some of the USA’s most iconic scenery.

Within this seven-mile-long glacial valley, which sits within Yosemite National Park, monolithic El Capitan (3,000 feet) and Half Dome (4,700 feet) rise dramatically from the valley floor, and Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America, cascades 2,425 feet down a vast cliff face into Yosemite Creek.

One of the most breathtaking places to drink in the valley’s majesty is Tunnel View, just outside the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41.

It’s a vista made famous by the work of legendary photographer Ansel Adams, from where you can see El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall.

Great place to stay: Yosemite Valley Lodge (rooms from $350) is in the heart of the valley, close to Yosemite Falls.

Read more: Inside LA’s Koreatown: Where tradition meets a new generation of creativity

5. Denali, Alaska

Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) is North America’s highest peak at 20,310 feet — but also one of the world’s great vertical ascents: from base to summit, the Alaskan behemoth measures 18,000 feet.

It’s a sight to behold, though famously elusive, with clouds often cloaking the summit.

The mighty mountain sits around 90 miles from the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve, which is near the small town of Denali Park on the eastern edge.

As private cars are banned beyond the 15-mile mark, better views of Denali are offered by Denali National Park bus tours, which venture further in and feature a trained naturalist who both drives and provides narration.

Great place to stay: Grande Denali Lodge (rooms from $280) is about 1.5 miles from the park entrance and offers sweeping mountain views.

Read more: Anchorage, Alaska city guide: What to do and where to stay in America’s last frontier

6. Crater Lake, Oregon

Behold America’s deepest, and most surreal, lake.

Crater Lake fills the caldera of a mammoth volcano that collapsed 7,700 years ago, and plunges to a depth of 1,943 feet. And the dazzling water is among the clearest on Earth. With no rivers in or out, it’s topped up only by rain and snow.

Adding to the otherworldly vibe is Wizard Island, a lone volcanic cinder cone at the west end that rises to 755 feet.

You’ll get the best photographs from the 33-mile road that loops the caldera, but taking to the water on a boat tour is also a must.

Great place to stay: Crater Lake Lodge (rooms from $280) is perched dramatically on the rim of the caldera, with showstopping views as standard.

Read more: A Euro trip without leaving America: Seven US towns that look exactly like places in Europe

7. Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii

It’s no exaggeration to say that this landscape is truly cinematic — after all, it has the stamp of approval from Steven Spielberg.

The director used the serrated emerald cliffs of the Na Pali Coast as a stand-in for “Isla Nublar” in Jurassic Park.

In the movie, we see a helicopter carrying Dr. John Hammond and guests flying towards the shoreline’s seemingly razor-sharp ridges — this part of the coastline is so steep that road-building is completely thwarted. A fact that’s helped to preserve its lush, primeval look.

A helicopter tour is the gold-standard way to see the cliffs, but you’ll also get a great view from the water. Ground-level views are available via the Kalalau Trail.

Great place to stay: Hanalei Colony Resort (rooms from $350) is set by the beach, just minutes from the Na Pali Coast.

Read more: Nine of the US’s most epic beaches revealed, from flour-soft sand in Florida to castaway havens in California

8. Devils Tower, Wyoming

Devils Tower is one of America’s most startling natural sights, an 867 foot-high rock monolith in a rural area near the Black Hills of Wyoming that will stop you in your tracks.

The formation, created around 50 million years ago when molten rock erupted from below and cooled into distinctive hexagonal columns, has long attracted tourists — it became America’s first national monument in 1906. However, most will know it from Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where it was used to striking effect as the point on Earth where aliens want to make contact with the human race.

For eye-popping up-close views, there’s a 1.3-mile trail that loops the base. Want to see what the view from the top is like? There are around 200 routes — but you’ll need to be an expert climber.

Great place to stay: Devils Tower Lodge (rooms from $200 per night) is just a few minutes from the monument’s base.

Read more: I drove in the US for the first time – here’s what shocked me on the 4,000-mile trip

9. Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier is vast — around 27 billion tons of ice stretching 13 miles from the mountainous Juneau Icefield to a lake dotted with icebergs. And it’s on the tourist trail, remarkable for being so easily accessible.

While many glacier visits require plane, helicopter or boat trips, followed by adventurous climbing, Mendenhall is an easy 12-mile drive from nearby Juneau city. Once there, tame trails lead to viewpoints with breathtaking vistas. You can even take to the water — guided kayak tours offer the chance to paddle among the icebergs.

There’s also the bonus of Nugget Falls, which plunges into the lake from a height of 377 feet, and the chance to spot wildlife, including black bears and eagles.

Incorporate the Visitor Center into your visit to learn about the glacier’s dramatic retreat since the 18th century.

Great place to stay: Baranof Downtown, BW Signature Collection (rooms from $220) is a 15-minute drive from the glacier.

Read more: Five bucket-list train journeys that showcase America’s most breathtaking scenery

10. White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Snow in the desert? At White Sands National Park, you’d be forgiven for thinking so.

The park, which sits within the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert, is 275 square miles of brilliant white powdery gypsum sand, and looks for all the world like an Arctic landscape.

However, in the summer you can expect highs of 100F. Remarkably, because gypsum doesn’t absorb heat very efficiently, it’s possible to walk barefoot across the dunes even in strong sunshine.

The Dunes Drive loop, which begins just beyond the main park entrance off U.S. Route 70, between Las Cruces and Alamogordo, is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the spectacle, especially at sunset. It’s a paved route, and there are several parking areas from which you can step directly onto the snowy grains.

Great place to stay: Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces (rooms from $180) is around one-hour’s drive southwest of the park.

Read more: The ultimate guide to driving the American quintessential road trip: Route 66

The One Show host Alex Jones has returned to South Wales and shared details of a new filming project as well as a special reunion

She’s become a household name thanks to her role as co-host of BBC’s weekday evening programme The One Show but Alex Jones has issued a career update that has seen her return to Wales.

Ammanford-born Alex posted a series of photos to her official Instagram account sharing some details of her new project which also saw her reuniting with one of her closest friends.

The 49-year-old is filming a special documentary to mark the 60th anniversary in October of the Aberfan disaster when 116 childen and 28 adults were killed after a colliary spoil tip collapsed and slurry engulfed a school and a row of houses.

The mum-of-three said in her post: “Spent this week filming in South Wales and despite the very poignant topic of the documentary, it was so nice to be on home turf, spending time with one of my best friends since school @catrowlands77 who was in charge of the production.”

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READ MORE: Pointless contestant opens up on what the BBC host was like behind-the-scenesREAD MORE: BBC Call The Midwife faces festive schedule shake-up as ‘Christmas special paused’

She continued: “A lovely crew, some of which I’ve know for decades and also being able to catch up with friends from home and even share a birthday cake, something we haven’t done since we weee 18! Also, special to introduce @lizbeckettmua who is such a great friend now to my oldest friends.”

In one of the photos, Alex is stood in front of a plaque at Pantglas Junior School Memorial Garden which reads: ‘Dedicated to the 116 children and 28 adults who lost their lives 21 October 1966. To those we love and miss so very much. I’r rhai a garwn ac y galarwn o’u colli.’

Another shows her with her friend Catrin Rowlands who works in TV production and there’s also a photo of Alex with another pal Liz Beckett who is a make-up artist.

The post was shared just days after Alex’s 49th birthday and in another photo she can be seen blowing out four candles on a birthday cake.

In the comments one follower asked: “Are you making a programme to make the 60th anniversary?” To which Alex replied: “We are. It will air in October.” It’s not yet known which channel the show will be broadcast on.

Alex recently shared “amazing news” just minutes into an episode of The One show. Paddington Bear had previously appeared on the show as part of the the final of the 500 Words writing competition from Windsor Castle.

Alex said: “We must say congratulations to Paddington, because he picked up an amazing nine awards for his musical last night.”

Paddington The Musical dominated the WhatsOnStage Awards earlier this month, winning nine prizes after its triumphant launch in the West End last year.

The One Show is on BBC One weekdays at 7pm and on BBC iPlayer

413,793 chocolate bars have been stolen while in transit from a Nestlé production facility in Italy, destined for distribution in Poland.

The cargo, weighing 12 tonnes, disappeared en route and is believed to have been stolen with the company adding in a statement on Friday that “the vehicle and its load are still nowhere to be found”.

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A spokesperson for KitKat said: “Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes.

“With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend.”

The shipment has not been recovered, raising concerns that the KitKat bars may end up being sold through unofficial channels across Europe.

KitKat said that all products can be traced using the unique batch code assigned to individual bars, and that consumers, retailers and wholesalers would be able to identify if a product is part of the stolen shipment by scanning the on-pack batch numbers.

If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert the company.

The brand also told French news agency AFP that “the theft may lead to a shortage of KitKats appearing on shelf”, acknowledging that “consumers, unfortunately, may struggle to find their favourite chocolates ahead of Easter”.

German footwear retailer Deichmann has closed its doors in Davygate, York, after more than five years in the city.

The shop shut yesterday (March 28, 2026) after a sale period that began in mid-January, with stock at the shop reduced at least 25 per cent and some items marked down further.

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A spokesperson for the brand confirmed the closure to The Press in mid-January.

They said: “I’m confirming that we are unfortunately in the process of closing our store in York. We continue trading until 28th March 2026 and are keeping an eye on suitable alternative locations in York.”

Deichmann opened a new two-floor unit in 2020 after a £475,000 refurbishment, which came with the creation of 12 permanent jobs.

Hundreds of partygoers were forced to flee a dance club in southwestern Germany Sunday when a fire broke out in the early hours.

None of the 750 guests were injured in the incident in Kehl, a town near the French border, emergency services said.

Three people were treated at the scene for shock, police said.

The club was identified in local media posts as the K Club Kehl, which is a popular venue for hip-hop music. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

At least 80 personnel from the fire department, police, and emergency medical services attended the incident, German news agency dpa reported.

A fire at a nightclub in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve, which killed dozens of people, was linked by investigators to sparklers on Champagne bottles.

The future of the MAGA movement was once again in focus on Saturday as the results of a straw poll were announced at the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Matt Schlapp’s yearly Trumpfest was in Texas this year, eschewing its typical home in National Harbor, Maryland. A gathering of DC-area conservatives, the event is typically well-attended by the Tea Party wing of the GOP, while more mainstream Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have long avoided it.

For 2028, the convention’s attendees are eyeing Vice President J.D. Vance as the likely successor to Donald Trump for control over the Republican Party, though the initial results suggest that the one-man dominance of the party’s leadership is finally coming to an end, at least as far as the party’s nominee is concerned.

Vance led Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the CPAC Straw Poll, the annual poll of the conference’s attendees, which the vice president won over MAGAworld puppeteer Steve Bannon last year by a more decisive margin.

Rubio trailed Vance by less than 20 points, 53 percent to 35 percent, in Saturday’s poll, with every other mentioned Republican at 2 percent of the vote or lower.

The poll’s results suggest that Trump’s own chosen running mate remains the obvious favorite among the president’s loyalists.

Vance’s is especially popular with younger voters in the party, while Rubio’s MAGA-fied traditional conservatism has its own sphere of support, which could result in a closely contested battle for control of the party in 2028.

CPAC’s straw poll hasn’t endorsed anyone besides Donald Trump since 2016, the year he first ran for office. Sen. Ted Cruz won the poll that year; a year prior, it was won by Sen. Rand Paul.

In 2021, 2022, and 2023, the president still ran away with the vote at the conservative conference, beating his closest rival, Ron DeSantis, by wide margins each time.

By the time his run for president was underway in 2024, he was back to dominating the polls with more than 90 percent of the vote.

DeSantis’s star has clearly faded within the Republican Party, and on Saturday, he tied Donald Trump Jr. at 2 percent support in the poll.

Vance’s rise and uncertain dominance of the post-Trump MAGA movement come as he has taken a public-facing role in the second Trump administration, with the clear aim of setting himself up as the next leader of American conservative politics.

That has led to risky moments for the vice president, including an on-camera shouting match with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in early 2025.

This year, his discomfort with the president’s military operations in Iran was reported, and his past opposition to interventionism has forced Vance to make an awkward about-face.

The vice president remains a relatively untested political candidate as well, which may complicate his bid for control of the party in Trump’s wake.

His 2022 bid for Senate was punctuated by the endorsement of Trump, whose support catapulted Vance into the lead and allowed the Hillbilly Elegy author to run away with the GOP nomination.

Vance’s greatest personal political victory took place later that year, when, with the support of Trump, he won a decisive victory over Tim Ryan, a now-former congressman, in a year when Joe Biden’s Democrats suffered midterm defeats in line with historical trends.

Vance has never run for office without Trump’s endorsement, boosting his chances with the MAGA base, and it’s not entirely clear that the vice president would automatically win Trump’s support in 2028 if Rubio is also in the running.

The vice president remains the clear favorite, however, for both Trump’s support and overall victory in the primary.

The value of Trump’s endorsement among independents in 2028 is also unclear, however, as the president’s approval rating continues to drop and now sits at just 41 percent in the latest Fox News poll, which was released this month. In other surveys, his approval rating is even lower.

Bath’s heavyweight bench came to the rescue as they narrowed the gap on Prem leaders Northampton Saints to just a point with a comeback win over Sale Sharks at the CorpAcq Stadium.

The champions’ rotated team trailed 19-7 at the interval but the cavalry changed the course of the contest and with England A hooker Kepueli Tuipulotu hugely influential they turned up the power to score four second-half tries.

The match-winning score came from another of the bench men – No 8 Alfie Barbeary – with nine minutes left.

Sale engineered a great position to steal the win late on but George Ford, playing his first game since February 21 after being dropped by England following the Six Nations defeat to Ireland, lost control of the ball and the chance slipped away.

It was Sharks’ ninth defeat of a disappointing league campaign.

More to follow…

Match details 

Scoring sequence: 0-5 Frost try, 0-7 Carreras con, 5-7 O’Flaherty try, 7-7 Ford con, 12-7 du Preez try, 14-7 Ford con, 19-7 Cowan-Dickie try, 19-12 Hennessey try, 19-14 Carreras con, 19-19 Staddon try, 24-19 Roebuck try, 26-19 Ford con, 26-24, Tuipulotu try, 26-26 Carreras con, 26-31 Barbeary try.

Sale Sharks: J Carpenter; T Roebuck, R du Preez (M Louw 48), R Ma’asi-White, T O’Flaherty; G Ford, R Quirke (G Warr 60); B Rodd (R McEachran 60), L Cowan-Dickie (E Caine 60), J Harper (T Raymont 60), E van Rhyn, B Bamber, S Dugdale (D du Preez 57), N Jibulu (J Gilmore 72), J Vermeulen.

Bath: T de Glanville; J Cokanasiga, L Hennessey, C Redpath, W Muir; S Carreras, T Carr-Smith (B van der Linde 60); S Kirk (B Obano 35), D Frost (K Tuipulotu 41), V Sela (T du Toit 35), W Jeanes (E Richards 53), R Molony (C Ewels 54-72), T Hill, E Staddon, M Reid (A Barbeary 60).

Referee: L Pearce.

Dates for putting out the bins over the Easter bank holiday may change in your area

Easter is here, meaning it’s the time of year to indulge in lots of chocolate and hot cross buns. It’s also the time to enjoy a few days off as there is the long weekend for bank holiday.

This year, Good Friday is on April 3, with Easter Monday on April 6. The day you put out the bins may change over the bank holiday weekend in Cambridgeshire.

Here are the days you will need to put your bins out over the bank holiday, depending on your council area:

Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council

Those living in the Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council areas would normally expect to have their bins collected on Friday, April 3. However, this has been changed to Monday, March 30.

Fenland District Council

From Friday, April 3, people living in Fenland will have their bins collected a day later, with household waste bins set to be collected on Saturday, April 4, instead of Good Friday. Normal bin collections will resume from April 13.

Huntingdonshire District Council

Those living in the Huntingdonshire District Council area will see no changes to their bin collection dates over Easter. Bins will be collected on Monday, April 6.

East Cambridgeshire District Council

Dates for bins being collected in the East Cambridgeshire District Council area have been changed for several days. These are:

• Friday, April 3 will be collected on Tuesday, April 7;
• Monday, April 6 will be collected on Wednesday, April 8;
• Tuesday, April 7 will be collected on Thursday, April 9;
• Wednesday, April 8 will be collected on Friday, April 10;
• Thursday, April 9 will be collected on Saturday, April 11;
• Friday, April 10 will be collected on Monday, April 13;
• Monday, April 13 will be collected on Tuesday, April 14;
• Tuesday, April 14 will be collected on Wednesday, April 15;
• Wednesday, April 15 will be collected on Thursday, April 16;
• Thursday, April 16 will be collected on Friday, April 17;
• Friday, April 17 will be collected on Saturday, April 18.

Peterborough City Council

People living in the Peterborough area will have their bins collected as normal on Friday, April 3. Bins are not collected on Monday, so Easter Monday will not be affected.

Susan Rae, 58, lost over 40 pounds using the Simple app’s intermittent fasting approach, describing it as a ‘total life-changing’ experience

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The pressure to revamp health routines can feel daunting, particularly when quick fixes and restrictive diets promise dramatic results but seldom deliver long-term change. For many, the cycle of repeatedly starting anew becomes tiring, which is why more people are opting for simpler, more sustainable approaches that fit into real life.

That’s precisely what attracted one user to the Simple app, which has quietly amassed a loyal following due to its personalised plans and emphasis on realistic habits rather than extremes. Instead of strict calorie counting or eliminating entire food groups, the Simple app focuses on small, manageable changes.

It’s worth mentioning that new users can currently benefit from significant savings, with up to 80% off plans using the code ‘REACH’ . There’s also a two-for-one offer that allows them to share their subscription with a friend or family member.

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User Susan Rae, 58, has experienced incredible results with Simple , and she said: “I have lost over 40 pounds and 40 inches from my body using the Simple app.”

What began as a casual download quickly evolved into a complete lifestyle shift. She continued: “I started using it 284 days ago, when I found it on Facebook, and I downloaded it, thinking it was going to be an app for women over 40 to do yoga, and I quickly found the intermittent fasting component and things took off from there.”

The Simple App is available on its website

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Instead of strict calorie counting or cutting out entire food groups, the Simple app centres around small, manageable changes

Within just a couple of months, she had already achieved her target . “It started in December, and by February, I had hit my goal weight,” she explained, adding that she has since gone even further without feeling restricted, reports the Mirror .

“I’m 15 pounds less than my goal weight today through no effort, no grinding, no obsessing.” Like many, Susan had battled with her weight for years and had growing health concerns before trying the app. She said her cholesterol had been rising and her blood sugar levels were becoming a concern, but since making the switch to Simple, she has noticed significant improvements.

“My energy has been through the roof. I feel a million times better,” she said. At the core of the app is its personalised approach. After taking a short quiz, users receive a tailored plan designed around their goals, lifestyle and preferences. It includes features such as intermittent fasting tracking, daily workout plans and easy food logging, whether by typing, voice or simply taking a photo.

A standout feature is Avo, the app’s AI-powered coach, which provides real-time advice, recipe ideas and support. Susan described it as a game-changer in helping her stay on track and make better choices without feeling deprived.

The platform also avoids rigid dieting rules, instead focusing on behaviour changes and sustainable habits. Users are encouraged to build routines that work for them, making it easier to maintain results long-term rather than slipping back into old patterns. Of course, intermittent fasting may not work for everyone but Susan has achieved impressive results.

Speaking about her advice to others, Susan added: “Lean in, lean into the program, lean into the community if you enjoy that stuff. You can do this, and it will be so worth it. Total life-changing, game-changing experience.”

She added: “I want you to know that if I can do it, anyone can do it, because I have spent a lifetime struggling with weight and trying to find something that felt easy enough to continue.”

For an alternative, there’s Noom , a weight loss platform that focuses on mindful eating, not strict diets. Highly scientific, Noom offers plenty of support to clients, stating it creates ‘fun’ personalised courses for people – with pricing depending on the plan and the individual.

Or there’s MyFitnessPal – a food and fitness tracker designed to help people meet their targets and monitor their nutritional intake. There are premium options, but also some free sections available on the app.

Those who are using Simple shared their views on Trustpilot, too, with one person saying: “This app is one of the easiest ones to see if your food is on target without counting calories. It also reminds you when your eating window that you chose starts and ends. Must say it’s worth picking a coach. Really positive experience and gives you ideas on how to tweak what you eat to make it better for a balanced meal.”

Another user shared their progress, stating: “Absolutely amazing app. I have lost over one stone using this. There is always help at hand when I had my struggles. The app is very easy to use. Love it.”

One individual outlined what they’d like to see improved, saying: “Honestly a super supportive app that doesn’t make me feel bad if I miss a day or something. I do wish it had more options for drinks (lemonade for example is hard to track accurately) or an option to write in a drink or activities. Otherwise it’s great.”

However, another user was particularly impressed with the customer service, writing: “Results are key in my 5-star review. The excellent customer service is a HUGE plus; and the intuitive, interactive interface actively encourages users to try harder, without shaming. A few tweaks to customisation (diet options, exercise editing) will given an even richer experience.”

Simple is currently offering a discount with the code REACH.