Healthy Eating plan helps Mererid lose 2 st 8 lbs
Catherine Matthews Over the years, Mererid has tried everything from sensible eating plans to outrageously faddy diets to help her lose weight. She finally found success with our online Healthy Eating programme, and has shed a formidable 2 stone 8lbs since registering.
“I have tried everything over the years, fads as well as sensible diets. But this is the only one that ever worked for me.”
When Mererid registered with us she weighed in at 13 stone 10lbs and had a BMI of 29 which meant she was nearing the obese category. Now after only 7 months of following the Healthy Eating meal plan, she weighs 11 stone 2lbs and has a healthy BMI of 24.
Like so many women, Mererid had noticed a steady increase in her weight over the years and became concerned about the health implications of this weight gain. “My weight kept creeping up, I was getting breathless, my joints were hurting and I felt fed up. I came to realise that if I didn’t do something then I would gain more weight and end up damaging my back, hips and legs. Everything takes more effort as you get older and I wanted to make life as easy as I could.”
In 1990, Mererid moved to a remote island off the coast of Donegal in Ireland. Grocery shopping was a rare activity and her diet was limited because of restricted access to water, food and electricity.
“When I lived on the island, life was difficult. We had no ferry, just our small open boat, so shopping was a relatively infrequent thing. With no electricity we only had fresh food just after shopping. Everything else was dried or canned. I made all our bread and that was the basis of breakfast, tea and supper. Our main meal was lunch, and consisted of large quantities of potatoes and whatever else was on the menu.”
On moving back to the mainland with her family, the temptation to gorge on junk food and convenience meals became too much. Her weight suffered as a result of her new found passion for sugary snacks. “When we moved over to the mainland we went mad on convenience foods, biscuits and chocolate. Having the shops so readily available after 12 years rather went to our heads!”
Mererid’s eating habits have dramatically changed since starting her diet. She has replaced the bad eating habits that made her gain weight in the first place, and now she knows how to satisfy those dreaded cravings without returning to her old ways of dealing with them.
“Now I’ve come to my senses! I’m watching my portion sizes the chocolate snacking has stopped. I eat sugar-free yoghurts and jellies, and sugar-free sweets if I am desperate for a treat. I used to come in from the shops and sit down with a cup of coffee and a kit-kat or a cake, now it is crispbread or fruit with herbal tea or water. As a family we eat a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables and salads, so it’s better for everyone. I wouldn’t want to go back to my old eating habits.”
The meal plans were flexible enough to fit in with the eating habits of the entire family, and Mererid likedthe way the plans were so easy to follow. “I like not having to work out portions for myself and I like the fact that convenience foods also have a place. It makes life easier to prepare a meal in a hurry if I have been out.”
The secret of Mererid’s success seems to be the invaluable support and advice she received from the support boards on the website, and her family and friends. “The support groups and particularly the Circles of Friends have been invaluable. I’ve made so many friends who naturally understand the way I feel and support me when I slip up.”
Mererid enthusiastically advises every member to get involved with the support boards. “Get involved with the Circles of Friends and online support groups. Everyone there knows how you feel, we all have food related problems or we wouldn’t be there in the first place! And however fed up you may be at any time, there’s always someone to give you a virtual hug and put things in perspective. Losing weight would have been so much harder without all the support from my friends.”
