" I have a new lease of life and I know my wife would be so proud of what I’ve achieved"
Start weight: 15st 13lb | Weight loss: 5st*
Current weight: 10st 13lb
Height: 5' 7" | Age: 57
Studio: Hugglescote, Leicestershire
WW Coach: Jo Wyld
The best part
If I had known how well WW would fit into my life, I would have joined years ago. The best part? I can go for meals out with friends, eat the foods I really love, and factor in treats too. If I go out for lunch to a local café or pub, I’ll use my Eat Out guide and the app to plan in advance.
Health issues
During the past few decades, eating unhealthy food became routine – even having a heart attack at 39 didn’t scare me into getting healthy! Breaking my comfortable habits just felt too hard, and life, as well as my own health issues, kept throwing obstacles my way.
Comfort eating
My wife Sandra passed away in 2016, and caring for her, then going through the grieving process was tough. After months of comfort eating I reached almost 16st: my heaviest ever. But after a stern warning from my doctor, I joined WW and realised getting healthy wasn’t as daunting – or boring! – as I’d expected. Taking the plunge and walking into my first WW Workshop was daunting, but once my WW Coach warmly greeted me, I knew I’d made the right decision.
Reaching goal
Learning how to budget SmartPoints, so I could still go for lunch or a curry with friends, was an eye-opener. My life improved as I lost weight; I stopped drinking alcohol, felt confident when clothes shopping, and joined the gym. I went from taking 18 pills a day for blood pressure and cholesterol to needing just two! With new eating habits and an exercise regime that made me feel good, reaching goal was the icing on the cake.
My moments...
For most of my adult life I’ve loved nothing more than sitting around the table with family and friends, tucking into something delicious, and now I can do it the healthy way!
I use the Eat Out guide and app to track my SmartPoints® in advance. I still have a good time, keeping things healthy with a salad for a starter if I’m going to have dessert.
Eating unhealthily was what I knew, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t change; I’m living proof that good habits can be learned.
I still attend Workshops and my Coach often asks me to share eating-out tips and meal ideas with other members. Inspiring others to get healthy makes me feel great and my newfound confidence means I now hold my head up high when I’m out.
*Dayle has been following the programme since Jan 2017.