Sam Lee

Sam Lee is a Food Buyer for the NHS. Here is her story:

I met Julie on 1st June 09 and discussed how I felt about myself and why I was uncomfortable with my weight - basically I was fat, lazy and hated shopping purely as I could never find any clothes to fit and would resort to eating to cheer me up! I have tried various "diets" and failed because I was constantly thinking about what I couldn't have and wanted it more.

I went away from the 1st session feeling positive and that my target to loose 4 stone wasn't a tough one. I overhauled my shopping routine buying lots of fresh fruit and veg opposed to frozen convenience meals and always feel satisfied after my meals. I still have the odd treat of a bar of chocolate or a ice cream on a hot day, but this is now occasional opposed to daily! I don't feel deprived of anything and the "want" is now for exercise opposed to food.

I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would actually "want" to go out for a walk never mind a jog!

3 months on since I first saw Julie I am jogging around 2 miles 3 or 4 nights a week and walking about 7 miles on both Saturday and Sunday and I'm actually enjoying it!

My exercise really started after my 3rd session and was a 10-minute walk around the block or walking to the local shop opposed to jumping in the car which felt really challenging at the time. That progressed to walking to the next lamp post before turning back, the following night I pushed that bit further and that's how it continued until I found I was jogging between the lamp posts and I was out for 20 then 30 minutes. 

My weight? I have a weekly weigh in on a Friday night on the Wii Fit which I find helps as it graphs your loss so it really spurs you on seeing the line decreasing! I started on the 1st June 09 at 15.8lb and now weigh 13.12lb which is 24lb! I believe the weight will continue to come off at the steady rate and I am on track to have reach my 4 stone target by Christmas!

My clothes are falling off me and I'm starting to enjoy clothes shopping again - although I'm limiting myself to how much I buy as shortly I will be buying another dress size down!

Thanks Julie, you have made this so easy, and I actually feel guilty taking complements from people saying how great I look and how much weight I have lost when I don't feel I have really done anything or struggled!

Sam