Rik's story
Weight lost: 2st 9lb
Age: 54
There are many misconceptions about being a man following WW. One is that we’re lucky to have a higher SmartPoints Budget, which makes it easier. Legend also has it that men will lose weight a lot quicker. I really wish that one was true!
It was about five years ago, when I was a primary school teacher, that I rejoined WW. I lost 3st, but then I had a breakdown in 2016. In hindsight, it might have been the best thing to have happened to me, because it brought all my issues into the open. During my recovery, I decided to leave teaching and, in 2017, I became a WW Coach. Now, I embrace wellness in my personal life as well as in my career, and I’m proud to be a mentor.
A new direction
In my interview for the role, I said I was passionate about getting more men involved with WW because it wasn’t just a diet, it was more holistic. So many people are missing out on the support of WW, especially men. That’s why the male-only Connect group ‘WW Bros’ within the WW app is so useful – it’s a place where we can talk about the programme and be ourselves.
Helping others
WW Bros is a safe place for us guys to drop the bravado and say, ‘I’m actually having a really tough time today’. It’s amazing, because the other Bros will give you the encouragement and extra support you need from mates. I’ve always been open about my breakdown. I bumped into a WW member in a cafe and she said thank you for being so open. She’d had a breakdown and kept it secret for 25 years. I feel there’s no stigma to it and it can be your brain’s way of reorganising itself and thinking, ‘This isn’t right for me, let’s go down another road’.