Small tweaks saved me from big health problems
WhiTNEY BEAmEs, a 30-year-old hr adviser, lost 5st 6lb and reduced her risk of developing type 2 diabetes after joining WW. Whitney, who lives in hemel hempstead, herts, with her husband Andrew, 34, a retail area manager, and their two children Jenson, six, and hattie, one, went from 17st 4lb to 11st 12lb and from a dress size 22 to a size 10-12. she is 5ft 5in tall.
WheN a sixmonth health check at my gP surgery showed my blood sugar levels were normal and I was no longer at increased risk of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes, I was delighted.
I still cringe when I see the photos that showed me I needed to get to grips with my weight. It was two months after I’d given birth to our daughter hattie and we were at an adventure park in Norfolk on a family holiday in the late summer of 2020.
I was on a Dumbo ride with my son and the bar on our carriage was pressing so tightly into my belly that I was pulling an agonised expression.
I was at the heaviest I’ve ever been and I looked awful.
my downfall was eating convenience foods such as chicken dippers and curly fries with lots of mayonnaise and ketchup. I’d also had sugar cravings during my pregnancy and would easily get through a kilo of sweets every week.
my biggest weakness was crisps, however — I could easily eat two family bags by myself every night.
I developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with hattie. although this is a pregnancy-related condition that disappears after childbirth, there is an increased risk of developing pre-diabetes later on. I was worried about this because it’s a serious disease.
I knew I needed to lose a few pounds, so I joined WW in september 2020 after realising my weight was going up post pregnancy rather than down.
I loved the fact the initial assessment took into account my likes and dislikes.
I realised that if I stayed within my Budget I was free to choose whichever foods I wanted to eat.
I’m part-Filipina and love asian food, so was delighted to discover that with WW no foods were off-limits and I could still eat rice and noodle-based meals, so long as I stuck to my Points budget.
I learned some clever ways of reducing the Points values of meals I love cooking, such as swapping coconut milk for lower Point coconut-flavoured drinks in the Thai green curries that I made.
and things have got even better with the PersonalPoints plan — it has enabled me to be me and still lose weight, rather than being told what to eat. I have chosen brown rice, brown noodles and brown pasta as my ZeroPoint foods. I love veggies so gaining extra Points for eating them is another bonus. I also drink more water, which earns me an extra Point each day. Before, I drank sweet, zero-calorie fizzy drinks.
my confidence levels have soared; I am feeling so positive about my life and health. It’s not just about the number on the scales but feeling good about myself and being the best mum I can be for my children.