John: Gym time is me-time


"I managed to lose 60lb before my 60th birthday, and I’ve stuck to the gym ever since!"
Start weight: 18st 12lb | Weight loss: 6st 1lb
Current weight: 12st 11lb
Height: 5' 9" | Age: 62
Studio: Ingleby Barwick Community Hall
WW Coach: Sarah Donnelly
After a minor operation,
I developed an infection and was forced to take two years off work. Stuck at home and unable to even walk, I put on weight – my clothing was XXXL and my wife, Pauline, became worried. Being inactive was made all the more difficult because I’d previously refereed local football games and had even run marathons. I wanted a knee replacement, but my surgeon was worried – I was obese and had high blood pressure. I persisted, and after recovering from the operation, I gradually started to move more.
Retirement was looming
and I declared I was going to lose 60lb by the time I turned 60. Pauline was already a WW member, so I joined her at her WW Workshop. I wanted to be fit enough to teach my grandchildren football, and this goal kept me going through hard times. Together, Pauline and I changed our eating habits at home and used WW recipes for inspiration at dinnertime.
Soon, I was fit enough
to join a gym. An instructor taught me exercises that wouldn’t put pressure on my knee, and I slowly built up my strength and fitness level while steadily losing weight. I managed to lose that 60lb before my 60th birthday, and I’ve stuck to the gym ever since. It’s not only helped me become the active grandfather I always hoped to be, it’s also my me-time, and I’m feeling so much happier for it.