Inches lost and fitness gained for Lesley!

Lesley Shearman from North Yorkshire lost a fabulous 3st with bodyOptimise to reach her slim target and become fit for life! Lesley shares her journey with us here…

“My weight first became a problem over 10 years ago when I gained 4 stones with my second child. I lost the weight but gradually gained it again, reaching my heaviest weight in June 2007.

“I kept saying that I was going to go on a diet and even agreed with my friend Alie that I would finally lose my weight. We set a target and agreed that once I’d reached it we’d go to New York to buy my new wardrobe! 

“When I hadn’t made much progress after a few months my friend sent a text message saying ‘let’s book a date for the New York trip because life’s too short to wait for you to lose your weight’!  I loved her honesty and I made the decision enough was enough. So on the 5th January 2008 I signed up for bodyOptimise.

“I’d tried another diet plan before but it didn’t teach me anything about healthy eating. It still allowed me to fill up on unhealthy foods – I needed to re-educate myself on healthy choices.

“I decided online membership was for me because it fits in with my busy lifestyle. I also knew that Food Optimising would suit me because I don’t have to weigh everything. I began logging in to chart my progress, find recipes and to check Syn values.

“With Food Optimising I fill up on wholemeal toast & scrambled egg, tuna or ham salad for lunch and lovely beef goulash for dinner. I snack on lots of fruit and yogurt.”

“I lost 3lbs in my first week but I was determined to take it slowly so I didn’t feel deprived in any way. My old daily menu was typically white toast and butter for breakfast, a lunch of sandwiches and crisps, chilli, rice & garlic bread for dinner with wine, crisps, cheese and slices of bread and butter as snacks.

“With Food Optimising I fill up on wholemeal toast & scrambled egg, tuna or ham salad for lunch and lovely beef goulash for dinner. I snack on lots of fruit and yogurt.

“By the beginning of February I’d lost 10lbs! I was really determined to get fit as well as lose weight. I told my husband Andrew that I was going to get a personal trainer and he laughed at me because I’d never been serious about exercise before. In the past I’d join a gym, go for a month and then never go again! I’d always make the excuse that I was too busy for exercise – I’m the director of a support services company and I work long hours. I felt a personal trainer would be worth the investment as it would be in my time, at my house.  It’s definitely been worth it. Taking up exercise has given me loads of energy and increased my fitness levels. My trainer Jenny really motivates me to work out in between weekly sessions by sending me text messages.

“There have been so many great results of my weight loss. I used to have a bad back – if you’re carrying an extra 3 stones around it makes a difference. Now I don’t get tired so quickly and I sleep better. I feel so much healthier – I would puff and pant upstairs and now I run.

“After dropping three dress sizes my friend and I went to New York in October and we shopped until we dropped! I’ve got a brand new wardrobe of size 10 clothes to wear.

“I reached my target in December and lost 38½ inches altogether. One of my targets was to run a 10k race – My aim was to finish in 1hr 5 minutes and I finished in 61 minutes! There’s no stopping me now!”  

Lesley lost a fabulous 3st with bodyOptimise!

• menu before
  • Breakfast:
    two slices thick white toast with butter, tea or coffee
  • Lunch:
    large ham salad sandwich, packet of crisps
  • Dinner:
    generous portion of chilli con carne with rice and garlic bread, wine
  • Snacks:
    crisps, cheese, slices of bread and butter

• menu after
  • Breakfast:
    wholemeal toast with scrambled egg or honey
  • Lunch:
    tuna or ham with lots of crunchy salad
  • Dinner:
    beef goulash with jacket potato and steamed vegetables
  • Snacks:
    fruit and low-fat yoghurt