I weighed 93.4kg. My BMI was 29. Being overweight affected my self esteem, particularly on
holiday. Also, being a keen walker, I felt that by reducing my weight I could reduce the strain on
my joints. I had previously been on a weight-loss programme, achieving my target weight. However,
this was by diet only. Therefore, I did not feel any fitter and slowly the weight problem recurred.
I liked the programme because it was well balanced containing circuit training, football
exercise and diet education. It is not just about losing weight but about improving your shape
and stamina. However, being one of the older members, it was important to remember that
sinew and tissue no longer had the resilience that they once had. Especially when playing football!
I think motivation is key; the mental attitude and the will to succeed must be there. One of the most
helpful things was support from my wife and the Monday ‘weigh-in’. Monitoring my weight daily
was helpful, particularly after overindulging at weekends or trips away. It became the norm to
quickly reduce my intake and take extra exercise. I also did not rule out using low-calorie ready meals.
One important gain was with my problem knee. Physiotherapy gave some slight improvement but not nearly as much as the circuit training sessions.
At the end of the course my weight had reduced to 84.7kg. When I removed my coat at work last week
one person said: “Where have you gone?”
