Janet among 12 shortlisted for Unislim award
JANET Herman of Ashford has transformed her life by shedding 5st 8lbs since joining her local Unislim class.
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed and Janet has been included on the 12-person shortlist for the Unislimmer of the Year Award.
Prior to dropping the pounds, Janet felt conscious of her weight and began isolating herself and cancelling plans with friends as she became more and more depressed.
‘My weight crept up without me noticing, which can happen so easily and going through the menopause didn’t help. I was sitting on the couch eating a whole pack of biscuits at night. I am also an emotional eater and I think that’s part of why I gained so much weight. I found it hard to get myself motivated to do anything. I was beginning to cancel plans with friends, isolating myself and feeling more and more depressed,’ she explained.
‘I really felt embarrassed about my body and my poor dog never got a walk! I had tried other plans and lost some weight but I looked at them as diets and I’d end up back to square one. After four or five years it came to a stage my body was giving out.
I was a nightmare to live with. My teenagers were tiptoeing around me with my moods and tears. I was in a negative headspace, I was stuck,’ said Janet.
However, her life was soon to experience a turnaround after she started participating in Unislim classes in Ashford.
‘I walked into my first Unislim class on April 26, 2018, and weighed in at 15 stone 11. I nearly fell off the scales. I was in a bit of denial about how much I’d put on. My fab leader Joanne and I set small targets each week, aiming to reduce my BMI a little at a time. That’s what worked for me, if I was to tackle a large number it would have been too daunting. Most weeks I had a loss, and I never missed a class even if I felt I had a bad week. My energy levels have increased since losing the weight, I used to be out of breath just going up the stairs! Six months after I started I went back to my Pilates class again which I love. You can have bad days, the thing is not to write it off as a bad week. It’s so important to go to class, you come away with so much encouragement. My confidence has grown immeasurably. I’m glad to say my dog loves me again.’
She was introduced to a balance plan, full of delicious, nourishing free foods and packed with lots of tips and advice, which she found really helpful.
‘I couldn’t recommend the Balance plan more. It works for all the family and it has to be sustainable for life, which it is. You’re not dieting, you’re adopting a healthy lifestyle.
‘I’m delighted to say I’m back to person I used to be, all thanks to Unislim,’ said Janet.
Joining Janet on the Unislim Awards shortlist of 12 is Bray man Garry Finane, who himself has lost five stone and seen his life change for the better.
The awards take place tomorrow (Thursday, October 17) in Dublin. Beauty guru and fellow Unislim member Triona McCarthy, and Unislim MD Fiona Gratzer will pick the winner with the most inspiring weight loss story, who will be presented with a cheque for €1,000.