Group combined weight loss: 49.92 kilos or 7st 12lbs
This month’s award is a bit different. Instead of an individual award, we’re giving Cathy’s virtual Lose Weight Feel Great group special recognition.
Cathy nominated her group for their positivity and commitment to making lifestyle changes. Between them, they’ve shed almost eight stone during their time with Livewell.
The six-week Lose Weight Feel Great course is made up of weekly one-hour sessions focusing on key topics relevant to losing weight and keeping it off long-term. The content is based around nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity and behaviour, and is delivered in a practical and informal way which encourages participants to share their experiences. Clients get the opportunity to take part in the popular course (currently delivered virtually) during their 12-month weight loss programme.
The nine participants receiving the award completed their course at the end of May. Although they are all at different stages of their Livewell journey, they were keen to encourage each other and engage in the learning. Livewell volunteer and former client, Rachel was also applauded for her fantastic contribution in supporting the group.
Barbara Garwood has lost 17% of her bodyweight in the last year, she said:
“Cathy has made the course such good fun. As well as being informative, it has been very motivational.
I have struggled with multiple health problems for years and thought at the age of 68 I was stuck being overweight with worsening arthritis.
I joined Livewell in 2020 and then two months later I was shielding. Through lockdown I lost a lot of weight thanks to the guidance I was given. The exercise classes with Gemma, Suf and Andy last summer were a real lifeline and Andy’s classes more recently have stimulated my motivation to get back on track after a very bad time with my mental health. I cannot praise the scheme enough it has changed my life - thank you!”
Advisor, Cathy added:
“Achievement is important of course, but we can’t achieve what we want to if we don’t have the right attitude. I felt it was important to recognise how positive this group had been. It’s not easy doing a virtual course - sharing experiences, thoughts and ideas with people you don’t know, but as a group we’ve managed this. Everyone has contributed and been very thoughtful and helpful to each other. Even when I disappeared for a few minutes with technical problems, everyone was still there discussing what we had been talking about - that’s commitment!”
Future Lose Weight Feel Great course dates will be promoted in the weekly email which goes out to clients.
People can find out more and register online for Livewell’s weight loss programme.
Top Tips from the group for keeping on track
- Make friends on the programme to help encourage and back each other up. Create a Whats app group for ongoing support.
- Set yourself smaller goals so that when you reach them it’s a real achievement, then you can set a new one rather than being put off by unrealistic targets.
- Keep a pair of jeans that you want to get back into and try them on periodically. Or at the other end of the scale, keep trying something on that fits before your lifestyle changes and feel the satisfaction of it getting looser as you go along.
- Refuse to buy any new clothes at the size you start at to motivate yourself to change.
- Weigh yourself regularly but sensibly to keep on track and notice if you start to gain weight so you can do something about it before it gets out of hand.
- Measure the inches not just the pounds, as exercise makes your shape change more rapidly than weight reduces and muscle weighs more than fat.
- Get guidance and support from the advisors with regular check ins.