Fitness coach Brian Presley hit a weight loss plateau for years until an app helped him lose more than seven stone
Rachael Davis and Jake Hackney
06:33, 08 Jan 2026
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Shoppers can get 60% off the app Brian used to transform his life.(Image: Simple)
For many of us, the dawn of a new year sparks motivation to improve our fitness, leading to gym sign-ups, buying exercise equipment and browsing diet plans online. But for Houston-based fitness instructor Brian Presley, it wasn’t about chasing the newest fads or jumping onto the latest dietary craze.
He had been exercising for years, but around 2019–2020, he hit a frustrating plateau. Despite his rigorous training efforts, he said he couldn’t seem to progress beyond a particular threshold, and his progress hit a wall.
“I started using the Simple app probably around 2019-2020, that’s when I had really started to hit a plateau, and I needed to actually get past that,” Presley said. “I needed something to help me. Then I actually saw an ad on Instagram for the app, and after I did that, I took off,” he added.
Prior to finding Simple, Brian frequently shed modest amounts of weight only to become stagnant. Employing a personal trainer wasn’t feasible, so he had to discover an alternative approach.
He merged intermittent fasting with more healthy meals, eliminating fried foods and other options that didn’t agree with his system. He commented: “I decided to not only fast for my journey, but also implement the right kind of healthy foods so that I wasn’t struggling after a fast”, reports the Daily Star.
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Simple app provides personalised plans for fasting, workouts, and nutrition.
This strategy, combined with regular exercise sessions, enabled Brian to lose more than 100 pounds whilst enhancing his muscle definition. He credits the blend of intermittent fasting, portion management, and physical activity as having ‘done wonders’, explaining he was ‘able to lose over 100 pounds, get back into better shape, feel better and have more confidence’.
The Simple app became a crucial element of Brian’s daily regimen, utilising it to monitor fasting periods, record meals and gain access to tailored workout programmes. He particularly appreciated interactive elements such as Blinky, the app’s motivational mascot, and Avo, an artificial intelligence wellness mentor offering guidance and advice.
“I roughly use it two or three times a week, just to keep my value straight. It is good for tracking, and it helps keep things tangible. If I can see it, then I know I can actually get the results and follow what the app is telling me to do,” Brian explains.
Brian Presley lost more than 100 pounds using the Simple app.(Image: Simple)
He continued: “When I was heavier and had more weight on me, it was harder to be more energised. I was tired, I was sluggish. I wasn’t very attuned to how my energy flowed through my body. Now I’ve lost fat, I’m in better shape and healthier. I’m actually able to feel better, look better, I’m more energised. I can get up earlier, I don’t feel as tired as like midday or throughout the day. Coupled with the fasting, my energy levels are through the roof, so I have no complaints.”
For those keen to follow in Brian’s footsteps, the Simple app offers tailored programmes for fasting, exercise, and nutrition. UK users can get 60% off the Simple app with the code REACH60, and users can even share their Simple Premium subscription with another person at no extra cost.
The Simple app enables users to monitor their diet, physical activity, and general wellbeing all in one location. They can record meals through typing, voice input, or photography, whilst utilising the NutriScanner feature to analyse nutritional content in their food.
The platform also features an intermittent fasting monitor that emphasises safe, healthy practices rather than rigid calorie restriction. It can also generates bespoke exercise programmes, encompassing Yoga, Pilates, HIIT, walking, and Tai Chi.
Brian used fasting, meal control and exercise on the app.(Image: Simple app)
Consistency proved crucial for Presley, and he credits the Simple app‘s guidance with helping him maintain his fasting routine, exercise regimen, and nutritional goals, which boosted his energy levels and overall health. He said: “It’s been an awesome journey with the app. It’s actually taken me from here to here. I recommend anybody on a weight loss journey, if you can’t hire a personal coach or go to the gym, you can use this app. It will actually get you from point A to point B.”
Should this particular app not suit everyone’s needs, there are alternative options available to consumers such as MyFitnessPal, which serves as a calorie monitoring tool and BMR calculator. This offers both free features and a premium subscription for £19.99 per month, which includes a bespoke meal planning service, access to more than 1,500 recipes, and automated shopping lists.
There’s also Noom, a weight management application that blends nutritional monitoring, coaching assistance and meal plans. This provides a calorie counter, macronutrient calculator and assists users in better comprehending their dietary patterns.
However, the Simple app has earned an impressive 4.3-star rating from more than 34,000 Trustpilot reviews. One user said: “I love this approach. Always you are active and focused on healthy meals. I feel energized and motivated.” Another added: “Helps me keep track of everything and keeps me motivated.”
Naturally, not every app suits everyone, and a few users had minor reservations, with one saying: “The app is fairly intuitive, and it is nice to be able to ask the AI assistant when I have questions about really anything at all. The only drawbacks I’ve seen are that it was really hard for me to figure out how to edit something I had logged, as well as the Avo assistant sometimes loses track of our conversation and diverts from the mission midstream.”
Nevertheless, the majority of users expressed satisfaction, with someone else writing: “Great app. Really keeps me on track.” Another user said: “Simple is far and away the best program I have found for weight loss and monitoring your activities and exercises. The AI coach is amazing and very encouraging. I’ve been on for almost 2 weeks and am already down almost 12 pounds. At 71, I appreciate the positive reinforcement and suggestions.”