"A few years ago I was out of breath just going up the stairs, but now I know I can achieve anything if I set my mind to it."
Start weight: 15st 3lb | Weight loss: 3st 6lb
Current weight: 11st 11lb
Height: 5' 4" | Age: 56
Studio: Flintshire, North Wales
WW Coach: Sandra Lewis
I’d gained weight countless times,
but when I had back surgery in 2001, then again in 2008, the advice was to lie flat and rest – so I did just that. My back had finally had enough and I was forced to retire as a nurse. I fell into depression and turned to food for comfort. My weight increased until I was more than 15st.
Another health scare
prompted me to change. I developed gallbladder issues and needed keyhole surgery, but was told I was too heavy for doctors to perform it safely. Knowing I had to do something for my health, I decided to get active. I knew I could do some low-impact exercises that would support my weight-loss journey with WW.
I joined an aquafit class
but soon wanted to do more, so my husband, Nick, and I started going for gentle Sunday walks. We slowly increased the distance we covered, as I challenged myself to earn more FitPoints®. We took it in turns to plan new routes and I often managed more than 20,000 steps per day.
Walking is now an activity
our whole family gets involved in. Our grandson, Max, loves exploring the trails with us. We used to be fair-weather walkers, but now we’ll go out in all conditions; we love seeing the seasons change. I’m amazed that I’ve been able to get fit just by putting one foot in front of the other.
I’ve had my operation,
and walking has improved my back pain. I know my limits and stop when I need a break. But I could have been immobile if I hadn’t got fit – and that would have been unthinkable for me. A few years ago I was out of breath just going up the stairs, but now I know I can achieve anything if I set my mind to it.