So were to start! Well I’ve always been big it didn’t help being the tallest in the class at school. But I was also very ill as a child, as I had very bad asthma, I spent more time ill in hospital than I did at school. It wasn’t until I was in my teenage years that they had new treatments that got my asthma under control. One big problem with being so ill and being on so many drugs was that I put on weight very easily. One doctor did say you can either have a over weight child or a dead one. Once I was well on the new treatment Mum and I did try to diet and I did manage to lose some weight but I’ve never been thin.
So over the years I’ve lost a little and I’ve put a little and more back on. In 2010 the office that I worked in decided to do the Race For Life as we had all lost someone to Cancer. It was only 5 km but I did it, but this was a turning point for me as when I sore the photo’s I was shocked just how big I was. I decided there and then that I had to do something so I went to my doctors and they signed me up for a special gym membership that I did for 6 months. I had to be careful as I have a bad back but I did it I lost over 5 stone (70 lbs) and I felt great.
I managed to kept this weight off for a couple of years and life was great as I’d met my soul mate and we were talking about getting a place together, I had a great job and couldn’t have been happier. Then life changed overnight, as my Mum had a very server stroke, I also lost my job and the man I loved with all my heart was about to go back home which was 200 miles away. I look back and I think how did I get through all this but I did like we all do, you just get through it one day at a time.
Luckily my Mum did get better after spending 4 months in hospital she was able to come home. There were issues as she’d been left with right side weakness and couldn’t walk without a frame and then it wasn’t very far. I soon realised that I was going to have to be her full-time carer that she needed me to do everything for her. The following 6 months were hard due to Mum’s disabilities we needed to find somewhere better to live. With the support and help of Mum’s support team and with Steve’s help we managed to get a Bungalow near to were Steve lived. And 3 years ago we moved in and we haven’t looked back. Over the last 3 years I have had a few health issues mostly stress related I did have a very bad skin allergy that meant I had to go on steroids which I ended up being on for a year, and I ended up putting back on all the weight and more that I had lost.
So there you are up to date on my life and how I got here bigger than I’ve ever been! 12 months ago I decided I wanted to lose weight for our holiday booked for October. I thought I knew what I had to do (and yes we all do, its eat healthy food and exercise) so I did this and I lost about 20 lbs I was doing T25 every weekday and I was doing great. But that was until I broke my toe (the one next to your little toe) if anyone has broken their toe then they know that there is nothing they can do for you you just have to live with the pain. I couldn’t exercise I could hardly walk, and I slipped off the wagon big time. Its so easy to go to Costa and have a hot chocolate or coffee and before you know it all the hard work you did is gone.
It was looking at the photo’s we’d taken in October when on holiday and again they shocked me and made me decide I had to make a change. Plus in 2018 I turn 50 and I’ve decided I want to get down to 200 lbs before my 50th Birthday. It was only last month that I got an email from Shaun T saying he was doing a DietBet challenge and I though well this is a different approach, I’d never thought you could get paid for losing weight. I’ve never liked the other diets that are out there you know the ones where you pay weekly and you go get weighed and you are either phrased or chastised. I was a little bit apprehensive about starting a new diet and fitness regime in December when there is so much temptation around. But I thought what the hell If I can do this lose weight in the hardest month in the year to be on a diet I then know I can lose weight throughout the rest of the year. So I paid my $30 and I dusted off my T25 DVD’s and I got myself ready to start this journey.
I have to say this has been a very positive experience, As I also have a FitBit Blaze I have linked that up to my DietBet account so when I weigh myself it get updated. And 3 weeks in I’ve lost 10.8 lbs I just have 2.6 lbs to lose by the 27th. I have found it great having others there with you its a little community who all have the same goal to lost enough weight to reach our goals and win cash. I know its silly getting paid to lose weight but its funny how you find yourself wondering how much you’d get if you get to your goal.