7th April marks World Health Day, and with research from our 2023 Weight of the Nation report revealing that 21% of us have been told by a doctor to lose weight for health reasons, it’s time to reflect on the amazing effects that weight loss journeys have – beyond the number on the measuring tape.
At the start of 2020, Plumstead-based Kenny, 36, weighed in at a 23 stone 7 pounds, with his weight having a severe impact on his mobility.
Kenny’s health had slowly deteriorated and he found himself suffering from a multitude of health-related issues. Unable to sleep comfortably, Kenny developed sleep apnoea and regularly found himself dozing off at work.
It wasn’t just the physical health implications of being overweight, that Kenny was struggling to deal with. As a result of carrying the extra weight, Kenny developed severe anxiety and depression and often felt compelled to hide his internal battles behind a forced smile, even at one of the most joyous times of the year.
Following a miserable Christmas, Kenny was inspired to join The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan to shed the pounds. It was a family member who introduced him to his Consultant, Deborah, in late December 2019, after sharing their fears that he was pre-diabetic. He was sceptical but he was also desperate to change his unhealthy lifestyle, and so decided to have an initial discussion with Deborah.
“I first started on plan in lockdown, January 2020. Within my first week I had lost ten pounds. I felt considerably lighter and my body was in a lot less pain. This was a huge motivator. I began feeling much happier and suddenly found I had a lot more energy. This was my second chance at life.
“My daily walk used to take me 30 minutes, and I would have to stop three or four times because my body just couldn’t handle it. After my first week on plan, I was able to do it in 15 minutes – I now do it in just five.
“My fatigue had eased and within my third month I had secured an exciting new job. I knew that the added stress of preparing for a new job would make it harder for me to follow the diet, however, it was amazing having Deborah by my side to help me through it. She had so much wisdom she could share with me through having been on the diet herself. It was so motivating to have such a huge supporter.
“The shape of my body began to change a lot and I felt more energetic and was visibly happier in myself. By the time I started dating my now fiancé Leanne, I had my confidence back – a lot of which was down to her. I began to do things I had previously fallen out of love with due to my weight gain. I was able to cycle again and found a real passion for cycling.
“I set an aim of doing the London to Brighton bike ride. It had always been a goal of mine, but I never had the confidence or the physical ability to do it. Crossing that finish line was such a momentous occasion for me and a real indicator of how I had turned my health around.
‘’Within seven months, I had lost the ten stone I had been carrying around for ten years. My sleep began to get better, I no longer needed to use a sleep mask and having this amount of energy just felt surreal.
‘’The impact The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan had on my life was immense and it didn’t take much convincing from Deborah to become a Consultant myself, on the side of my day job. I have a lot of pride in both of my jobs. Working as a Civil Servant and being a Consultant, I’m helping people daily to change their lives.
‘’I found becoming a Consultant easy. I had so much passion for The 1:1 Diet and a huge amount of tools from my own experience with the diet that I could use to help my slimmers.
Being a Consultant for The 1:1 Diet alongside my full-time job is much easier than it sounds. Being a Consultant, I set my own hours and it is extremely flexible and I take a lot of joy in helping others.”