Man, 57, who lost 50kg finds new ‘zest for life’
COMPUTER PROGRAMMER WHO FELT ‘TIRED ALL THE TIME’ AND PILED ON EXTRA WEIGHT DURING PANDEMIC OFFERS ADVICE TO OTHERS
A PRE-diabetic man says he has a new “zest for life” and can run around after his grandson after achieving an incredible 50.8kg weight loss.
John Fawcett, 57, a computer programmer from Waltham, told the BBC he weighed nearly 20 stone when doctors told him he was at risk of developing diabetes.
He said he felt “tired all the time” and piled on extra weight during the coronavirus pandemic. He used to buy his clothes from specialist shops for his size and described himself as “addicted to food”.
Worried about his health, he joined the NHS Oviva Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme in May 2022.
Since then, he has lost nearly eight stone (50.8kg) and now leads an active life, regularly walking and cycling. He said he is now fit enough to chase after his two-yearold grandson. He told the BBC: “I feel like a totally different person and have a great zest for life. Before I felt tired all the time and addicted to food.” Giving advice to other people who may want to lose weight, he said exercise is just as important as healthier food choices. “It’s not just diet, it’s everything,” he said.
“I do a lot of exercise now. I would say diet is a bit of a springboard, really. There will be days when you are struggling a little bit and maybe times when you do fall back and have a bit of a blow-out and eat something that you probably shouldn’t be eating but at the end of the day you can just get back to it again.”
He added: “To really make it work you have to put in a lot of commitment and be prepared to change your lifestyle.
“Don’t be disheartened if you don’t always lose weight. It can be up and down but it’s worth it in the end.”
There are still places left on the NHS weight loss programme for people who meet the benchmark. Oviva is an app-based healthcare tool that offers advice from health coaches via video calls and messaging as well as personalised plans. According to its website, one in four users are able to reverse their diabetes by putting their blood glucose levels back into the normal range. On average, people lose 4kg (9lbs). Lucy Jones, dietitian and chief clinical officer of Oviva, said: “John is one of 416 people in Lincolnshire who, so far, have been referred to the programme by their GP, and accepted as they met the criteria. “Over 200 places remain in Humber and North Yorkshire for the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme, so please do speak to your GP if you have Type 2 diabetes and would like support.”
Don’t be disheartened if you don’t always lose weight. It can be up and down but it’s worth it in the end. John Fawcett