23/12/2024
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Here is my member Chris Thomas's story so farπ
He joined me weighing 24 stone and is now 7 & 1/2 stone lighter and still going πͺ
I am so proud of him, the effort and determination he puts in is exemplary β€οΈ
"I lost 8 stone back in 2013, I incorporated exercise to get the job done, and to top off that job I ended up training to do a triathlon! Iβd joined a local bootcamp (which i now run, Saturday Bootcamp ) and got totally hooked and swept away with the fitness bug. I got talked into signing up for IRONMAN Wales in Tenby in 2015, after going through 2 years of intensive gruelling training, I completed it πββοΈ π² πββοΈ 2.4 mile sea swim, 112 mile bike ride followed by a full 26 mile marathon β all non-stop starting at 7.00am.
Iβd didnβt do a lot of training after that achievement, and unfortunately ended up in hospital having had a mini-stroke. That put pay to any training, and although I could continue to do the separate disciplines, in time I piled the weight back on, plus a bit more!
After a fair bit of yo-yo dieting, waiting for Mondays that would never arrive, sick of buying larger and larger sized clothes again β enough was enough! I knew Renae ran Renae's Slimming World in Dinas Powys sessions as she lives on the same road as me in Barry. So with encouragement from my cousin who had already been coming along to the group sessions, I finally bit the bullet and turned up, and signed on the dotted line!
For me it was all about accountability. I needed to be held accountable for my actions. The previous stop and start dieting hadnβt worked β and it never does! Iβd step on the scales, and be dismayed by the results. Iβd say to myself that I wouldnβt let it get to 120kg, or 125kg, and then 130kg and so on, and before I knew it Iβd passed the 150kg mark, tipping the scales at about 153kg which is just under 24 stone.
I knew what to do, as it had done it before, but I knew that I needed someone to be on my back if I drifted off course, and signing up to Slimming World and having that accountability of Renae being on my back was just what I needed, because it would not just be myself Iβd be disappointing, but I felt Iβd be letting her down too!
The weeks passed by, and pounds began to fall away β it was working! The one thing I found with Slimming World was that itβs much better than counting calories. First time round I was limiting myself to 1500-1600 calories and buying myself additional food with exercise. However, simply counting things this way, didnβt ensure you were having a healthy balanced diet, and thatβs the big difference.
Ensuring you have a specific amount of certain food groups is key. Totting up your Heathly Extra A and Bs, and keeping track of your syns is critical. If you religiously stick to the plan and do what you are told β it works.
Coming along on Thursdays was a bit daunting at first, I didnβt know anyone except Julia, but soon learnt how fantastic the group of people in my session were. I couldnβt ask to be a part of a more friendly, kind and supportive a group of individuals, of which we have a great laugh and joke along the way.
At a loss of 7.5 stones so far, I have to say Renae is fantastic! The help and support she offers is exemplary. I love the no beating around the bush banter, telling us to own it, and simply get on it with! Staying for these group sessions, rather than weighing and disappearing out the door, is so valuable and gives us the opportunity to share advice, talk about our weeks, and learn all sorts of useful and supportive advice to keep us all on the straight and narrow.
I look forward to completing my journey, and then taking on the challenge that is βmaintainingβ target weight!"
