Fleur started working from home in March 2020, and got into some bad eating habits.
Before coming to us, the 45-year-old business analyst — who lives with her husband and pet poodle — had tried the calorie-counting and fad-diets of the weight loss industry, with little success.
But we helped Fleur switch her focus to health and wellbeing, and this was the approach that finally worked for her. She has since lost 20lbs, and is now feeling so much better.
She said: “I was used to travelling quite a bit with work, so as soon as I was anchored to the house all day the temptation was so strong to eat all the time, and to eat the wrong things.
“At the start of the pandemic I had really good intentions. I was taking the dog out for long walks in the morning before work and setting up a little exercise circuit in the garden just to ensure I was moving around – but this soon fell by the wayside.”
Putting on weight
As Fleur stopped exercising and began to gain weight, an existing neck pain issue got worse.
“Don’t get me wrong, I had been putting on weight slowly over the past 10 years and wasn’t happy about it,” she explained. “But I was fairly active and used to plan out a whole week’s meals and did try to eat healthily, but the pandemic restrictions really did escalate this issue in a short space of time.
“We were at the stage of two or three takeaways a week, and the meals in between were pretty much easy freezer meals, nothing fresh and all very beige.
“I had got to the point where I was putting on weight rapidly, and the more I didn’t exercise the more my neck was hurting from sitting all day working, and now my sleep was being affected.
“I was starting to look and feel a bit of a mess, looking back it’s surprising how quickly you can fall into bad habits that can affect every part of your life.”
Giving it a go
Fleur saw our service on her GP’s website and decided to give it a go.
“It sounded exactly what I needed, and I was so surprised to find out it was council funded,” she continued.
“During the course and since finishing, I am just amazed at how much I have learned.
“The small things from what your portion size should be, to really knowing what the labels on foods mean and what you should be looking for (not what the manufacturers want you to see).”
One of our nutritionists helped Fleur to focus on changing her habits and eating the right things at breakfast, to avoid a slump during the day. She now uses her new food knowledge on a daily basis.
Enthusiastic about exercise
We also guided Fleur to get back into exercising regularly, and she found that she was unexpectedly enthusiastic.
“One week it would be circuits and the next yoga, so you could try different types of exercises, and the booklet on things you can do at home has been really useful,” she said.
“After years of being a member of various gyms, I now know that they are not for me. I have actually found exercises I really enjoy and am happy to do three-to-four times a week.”
Positive changes
Fleur said the most-important changes to eating habits for her had been having smaller portion sizes and becoming aware of her triggers — as well as having the foods she likes in a healthy way.
She said: “I have made so many positive changes to my life. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The team were so knowledgeable and non-judgmental.
“I have now lost 20lbs in weight and eight inches off my waist, which has made a huge difference to the way I feel.”
