Lifestyle changes improving health and wellness

I felt slightly lost when I joined the project. I had been retired for 12 months, my mental health was a bit iffy at times, and I found myself isolated. I started attending digital skills sessions with Just Straight Talk (JST). These were helpful and added a social element to my routine. I signed up for JST’s Ancestry project, which was fascinating. I felt like I was unravelling a mystery, discovering who my relatives were. I took it to the next step and also went to the local archives, discovering that my great-uncle spent 12 months in prison for being a bacon thief!

Since leaving work, I had put on four stone, yet I generally considered my health and fitness okay, although I did have a pacemaker following heart complications as well as osteoarthritis. About 16 weeks ago, while still investigating my family history, I had a routine blood test at the doctors. The news was not the best. My sugar levels and cholesterol were way too high. Hearing this, I felt disheartened and deflated and I had no idea what any of this meant and what to do. James from JST supported me through this, helping me focus and plan for better health. Knowing I needed to lose weight, James tutored me on the calorie and exercise recording MyFitnessPal app, explained calorie surplus and deficit, and discussed fitness and exercise activities in the local community. Since then, James and I have done many things, and we are already seeing good results. I see the NHS pre-diabetes consultant every three weeks at the YMCA, where they offer advice and weigh me to track my progress. I have cut down on biscuits, I am eating more vegetables, and look at nutritional information for all meals, using the MyFitness App to help. I have started swimming and have gone from being able to barely swim to swimming for over 30 minutes in an hour, doing up to 30 lengths. (I have started using the SwimTag app too.) I signed up for sit-down physio training with an ex-army personal trainer which I go to every Tuesday.

James also referred me via WDH to the YMCA to get a discounted gym and fitness class membership which has been excellent. I do sit-down workout classes there, tai chi sessions weekly and have joined the gym. The instructors there have given good advice and recommended stretches, which I feel are helping my posture. Since joining WDH, I have gone from 18 stone 3’ to 15 stone 11’. The support from everyone, as well as digital advances I have made (e.g. I have a stone-to-kilogram converter on my phone now), have helped me develop a productive and healthy routine. My changes and positive attitude have been seen by others, too. I feel a lot better and more confident in general and with my pre-diabetes and health. At the start, I had no understanding of why I was unwell or why my readings were unhealthy, and I was worried. Now I feel that they are under control, and I am in a good position.

The changes I have made to my life with everyone’s help have been massive. I do positive activities that are good for my physical and mental health every single day! I am excited, too, to begin JST’s Digital Fitness ‘Skills for Health’ programme, which starts in September and would just like to say thank you to everyone who has helped me.