How my journey began
What inspired me to join WW? To be honest, it was my partner, Andri. When we first made the decision to join the programme, she was the one who initiated it. She was feeling uncomfortable and unhappy with how she looked. She attended a [WW] meeting, came back and told me how fantastic the programme was and how much she wanted to do it, so I joined to support her. And through that process, I gained quite a lot of insight– the prospect of what WW was going to bring to my life was life-affirming and made me want it even more. I felt gripped and inspired to do it.
Self-growth
The biggest thing I've learned about myself from being on WW is that I can be honest with myself. I think I held myself back– the insecurities I had were always in the background of my mind. I would block things out and I make excuses. Whereas now I'm more aware of my myself as a person and the way I look. I take pride in that. I can take pride in the things that I didn't previously like because I changed them and I now know how to go about that.
No looking back
WW has changed my life in a way that I couldn't have imagined. Before I started this programme, I thought I was happy. I thought I was secure in myself. But where I am now, looking back, I’m a world away from that. I've changed and shifted my whole way of life, and I've learnt lessons that I can take into the future. It's absolutely incredible. And the best thing is, I'm happy and that is that. And I'm forever searching for new ways to grow that happiness. And through WW, I can every day.
Total flexibility
I'm a creature of habit, I love routine. And having the structure that the programme has given me is so helpful because it’s so adaptable. The app is so easy to use. To give you an example, our days are planned around what we eat. I know what I'm going to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I know my snacks. Everything is planned out. And having something simple {to use], like the app, is so handy because when I open it up I know the recipes, I know the points, I know everything. It's [become] part of me. From when I wake up, to when I go to bed, everything fits into ‘me’.
Pleasantly surprised
Honestly, everything about my WW journey has surprised me. From the very beginning, I was astonished by how the whole programme worked. I surprised myself by how much I would engage with it and how simple it was to use. The point system, the dailies, the weeklies, and the fact that I was able to continue to enjoy and live my life, in a way that was for me, without having to change too much. I was really surprised by the flexibility of the programme and how adaptable it is to you, as an individual.That's why I'm still doing it now because I find there's new things every day that I can engage with. Everything is so useful.
In it together
I find some days are harder than others, just like all aspects of life. But with a programme like WW, we’ve got that moral support. We [my wife and I] can engage with the programme together and if either of us is having an ‘off’ day, the other one is there to pick up the pieces and encourage them.
The one thing that's been a significant part of my journey is the WW community, and how supportive it is. Without that support and without the individual support of my partner, I don't think I would be as successful. It's nice having somebody by your side who follows the programme.
Favourite foods
One thing that I can't live without is, pasta. Having the freedom to eat something that I love so much, on a programme like WW, is such a good thing– it’s so enjoyable. Like most things, that you can enjoy everything within reason. It’s great that I still get to enjoy my favorite food, and it’s a great fuel for running as well. If you eat everything in moderation, you can be really successful.
Top tip
One of the most ingenious tools, that people might overlook, is the recipe finder on the app. It's a great way to plan your meals. You type in an ingredient and you can find various different recipes that you might want to cook, depending on your palette. It's a great way to use the app. You might type in chicken, for example, and it will come up with so many different chicken recipes. It's so simple.