Youthful exuberance

Naomi Farrell from north County Dublin joined Weight Watchers to t into her con rmation dress, but now, as she approaches her 20th birthday, it’s just part of her positive way of life

19-year-old Naomi tells us how learning about healthy eating at a young age was a massive help to her on her journey to wellness through her teens, and how it stands to her as she approaches her 20s

It was coming up to the time of my Con rmation that my weight rst started to bother me; all my friends were out shopping for dresses, I could never nd anything that looked good on me and so I absolutely hated shopping. My mother, Sarah, has always been involved with Weight Watchers, she was a member, then a Coach and then a clerk, and she suggested that I give it a try. So, we went to the doctor to nd out what the recommended weight for a young person* was and then I joined the class. When I was small I played a lot of sport, but after a while I gave up and I suppose that was a big part of the problem. I used to pick at food a lot and I have a real sweet tooth. I didn’t feel very happy about joining a class where I was going to be with a lot of older women, but when

I got to the Weight Watchers class, it was brilliant: everybody there really looked after me. My mum was so supportive, and she did everything with me. We still take regular walks together.

By the time my Con rmation came around, I had reached my recommended weight loss of 2 stone and able to get the dress that I really wanted. I kept going to meetings over the years and maintained my weight loss. When I took a break one Christmas, I fell back into old habits and old weight, so I decided that was that, and I got myself back on track. Over time it can be hard to forget how it feels to reach goal and why you put all the work in that you do, so I just had to go back to what I had been doing before.

Now a typical day’s meals would be something like porridge for breakfast, a sandwich made with Slimsters bread for lunch, and then a healthy dinner of chicken, potatoes and vegetables. I love to bake and experiment a lot with Weight Watchers recipes; my current favourite is the pear tart. My leader, Olive, is great; she knows I love to make cakes so she’s always passing new recipes on to me to try out. I love the outdoors, so I’m always out walking, and I’ve just taken up sailing.

The best bit is, I can shop wherever I like and know that I can nd something that will look good. I love Penneys, River Island and especially New Look. When I go out to a night club, I’m not looking at what other people are wearing and wishing that I could look like them; I’m happy being myself. My debs was in August and it was fantastic deciding on the nal dress.

A couple of people were concerned when I started Weight Watchers rst, that maybe I was too young, but I completely disagree. Being part of the class meant that I was learning about nutrition and exercise from a young age, and I think that’s important. I dread to think where I might have ended up if I hadn’t joined when I did. I worked hard to achieve what I did and I would encourage other young people who want to get healthy to go and do something about it. It’s important to nd people who will support and inspire you when you set out to make a positive change, and you will de nitely nd those people in your Weight Watchers class.”

Naomi’s tips for success

Track everything you eat, and get to class now to avail of eSource for online tracking, it’s brilliant. It’s so easy to forget what you’ve eaten if you don’t keep a record of it.

Always remember why you’re doing it, and the feeling that you will have when you get to goal weight.

Go to class each week and stay, you will get a lot of support there. It never feels like going to a class to me, it’s just like being with a bunch of friends who are all there to help you.

Naomi’s Coach, Olive McKelvey, is celebrating 21 years at goal weight, and 20 years as a Weight Watchers coach. She tells us what wellness means to her, and how Naomi is a fantastic inspiration for other young people

I rst joined Weight Watchers because I had weight to lose after having twin boys. I was so busy minding them, getting out to the class was something that I did for myself and gave me a bit of head space. I eventually lost three stone and then I began to think about being a coach. So, I rang the Weight Watchers of ce for a chat and I was told that I was exactly what they were looking for, so I decided to give it a go! It was a massive turning point for me.

I have a huge passion for seeing people making positive changes in their life. I still have some of the same members that have been coming back to me since I started. My members are there for my help, and I consider that a huge responsibility; I am there to inspire them and keep them going on their wellness journey – I love to give a good motivational speech! I always say to my members; never give up something that works.

I think it’s essential Coaches have passion and drive to help others in their pursuit of wellness, and it’ good to remember that wellness means different things for different people. When I rst started in Weight Watchers, I wanted to look good and nd nice clothes, now I just want to feel t and well in my body. When we develop the habit of eating healthy foods earlier on, those habits stands to us in later life.

This is especially true of Naomi; she came to me at a young age, two stone overweight, and now she’s an active, stunning 19-year-old who is having the time of her life. Seeing the transformation that Naomi has made over the years, and the support she gets from her mother, Sarah, brings an enormous sense of job satisfaction, and that’s something you can’t buy.”