Small healthy changes can make a big difference, but sometimes that difference is life-changing. Alice* and her partner had been trying for a baby for more than a year, but were struggling to conceive.
Her GP suggested Alice’s weight might be an issue, and advised that she would need to have a BMI of 30 or under if she were to need any fertility treatment in the future
This would mean losing a fair bit of weight, so when the doctor offered her a place on our programme for weight management support — she jumped at the chance.
Out of whack
As a nurse working 12-hour shifts, Alice’s eating habits were a little out of whack.
She’d be too busy to eat for long periods of time, but then eat large portions of high-fat and high-sugar foods on the go, or when she got home.
Rather than giving her a strict diet plan to follow, we encouraged Alice to look at the behaviour patterns stopping her from making healthy choices.
She said: “I found looking at my eating habits really useful. We wrote a timeline of our day, and I realised I do most of my eating in the evenings — which was something I could try to adjust.
“It was also interesting to look at portion sizes, which is something I’ve really struggled with in the past.”
Her own decisions
Alice was then able to make her own decisions about how to improve her diet, making changes which would fit in with her routine.
She now prepares her food in advance and is mindful to try to eat regular meals throughout the day, to avoid getting hungry and making unhealthy choices when she finishes work.
“I really enjoyed the vibe of the group. We were a mix of different ages and backgrounds, and all brought something different to the table.
“It was such a lovely supportive environment. I was really impressed with how the content was appropriate for all of us as well, it wasn’t patronising in any way.”
Physical activity
Alice also enjoyed the physical activity sessions she tried and has since started to see a personal trainer. She reports feeling better and more motivated to keep up her new eating habits as a result.
She’s continued to lose weight and has a lot more energy than before. But the biggest result? Alice is now expecting her first child.
“The programme was well worth doing for me. It’s amazing the small healthy changes that you can make that add up to big differences. I found it so helpful, and I’ll continue trying to make the little changes I learnt. “
*our client wished to remain anonymous, so we have not used her real name.
