Wild swimming helped me lose more than 6st
She could barely doggy paddle, now she swims in rivers, lakes and seas. HELEN SOMERSCALES tells us how her unusual hobby has changed her life
NEVER one to push myself out of my comfort zone, I’ve always found it easier and safer to stick to what I know. Maybe it’s because as a 38-year-old mum of four from Lincolnshire, I’ve never found much time or energy to break my routine.
I also didn’t always make an effort to look after myself, as I was too focused on the kids. Exercise wasn’t something I did. When I took the kids to the pool, I didn’t really participate.
In fact, I couldn’t swim, and at 36, I’d resigned myself to the idea it was a skill I’d probably never learn.
So, a year later, when I found myself jumping off a jetty into a lake, it felt like a huge leap – literally and metaphorically.
Amazingly, I’d gone from doggy paddling in the shallow end to becoming what’s known as a wild swimmer – someone who loves nothing more than braving open water to take an invigorating dip.
Since then, I’ve swum in gorges in the Yorkshire Dales, dived from a cliff into the ocean at Thornwick Bay and done laps in a loch.
And at least once a week, I pull on my wetsuit and join my group, the Swimfit Open Water Swimmers (or the Swimfit Sows – don’t laugh), to take on a new challenge.
When I joined WW (formerly Weight Watchers) in 2015, I also wanted to get active, so my friend Rachel convinced me to attend a Swimfit class with her.
SHE figured it wouldn’t be anything more than a few old ladies doing star jumps in the pool, so we didn’t expect it to be too intense or challenging. How wrong she was.
When we got to the leisure centre, we found ourselves in the hands of an ex-Army instructor, who seemed to be conducting a military-style boot camp in the pool.
By the end of it, I felt as though my lungs had been ripped out of my chest and I’d swallowed a gallon of pool water. But strangely, I’d also really enjoyed it. During the class, however, I’d been mortified by not being able to swim. Still, I’d felt alive for the first time in ages.
So I confided my guilty secret to Steve, the instructor, who offered to help me learn, despite Swimfit not being a learn-to-swim programme. I (boots. com) There’s no harm in trying something once – who knows where it could take you?
Nothing is ever going to be easy the first time you do it, but you should never be afraid to test your limits, as you might surprised by how much they can be stretched.
Making time for yourself can give you a new lease of life.
Everyone suffers from stress from time to time, and we can’t ignore our problems. But having an outlet where you can leave all your worries behind and be in the moment is so liberating.
Take stock of life and live it to the full. Push yourself, try new things and take on bigger challenges.
was beyond ready to put my fears aside. I taught myself the basics by watching YouTube videos and then, with Steve’s help, I went from doggy paddling to confidently swimming laps. It wasn’t easy, but was it worth it? Definitely.
As my confidence soared, I was losing weight and feeling fitter too. Doing something I thought I’d never be able to do made me feel invincible and I found an inner strength I didn’t know I had.
So when Steve invited Rachel and me to join him for an outdoor swim at the Activities Away lake in Lincoln, I found myself saying yes.
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