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Published 17:05 10 May 2013 BST
Updated 07:30 18 Dec 2014 GMT
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Earlier this year we put out a call for an adventurous couple who wanted to make a healthy lifestyle change together.
Karen and Mark answered that call and, over a twelve week period, they’ve been giving us an honest, in-depth account about what life is like when you’re on the Weight Watchers plan. They’ve also be helping and supporting each other along the way.
Now, we've come to the end of the road. In their final blog, Mark and Karen are looking back on the experience, and looking forward to a healthier future.
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Name: Mark
Starting Weight: 14st 5lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.5lbs
So this week was my final of the WeightWatchers challenge. After a week of heavy social engagements, (basically going out with the lad on three occasions), I did manage to keep up my running. Having ran approximately 45km this week, I didn't know which way the scales were going to go. After an 11k run Karen even managed to drag me up bray head and back! I did manage to stick loosely to my ProPoints allowance by drinking Coke Zero as my mixer and impressively avoiding fatty and high carb food while drinking!
To my delight and surprise I had lost another 2 pounds, which has pretty much put me at my goal weight. Over the 12 weeks I have gone from a BMI of 27 down to a BMI of 23 (about 2.5 pounds shy of dropping into the 22 range), which is a considerable drop. My stomach is much flatter and developing a nice shape to it and my fitness and energy levels are through the roof, to the point where I feel I am on course (not ready yet!) to tackle the Dublin City Marathon later this year.
While over the 12 weeks I know my exercise has been a big part of my success, there are so many things that WeightWatchers has contributed to my weight loss and general fitness. The main thing is the selection of junk food that I allow myself. Normally I would have a certain types of chocolate or crisps in the house just to satisfy me if I get cravings. When you would add up the ProPoints of these bars I realised just how bad they can be for you. I have replaced these items with those of a lower ProPoints value, like a two finger KitKat bar or a treat sized Dairy Milks. The switch made me realise that I didn't care what the type of chocolate was as long as it was chocolate (the same with the crisps) so switching over to something that wasn't as bad for me but still satisfied my craving wasn’t that difficult do. That is a huge benefit of the ProPoints system, nothing is forbidden - you just make better choices. This has impacted on my drink choices too. Normally my favourite drink is a whiskey and Coke, for but I found that I have been able to switch over to Coke Zero easily enough and it has now become my favourite drink. This is great, as it has zero ProPoints. So instead of a whiskey or vodka and Coke costing me approximately 6 ProPoints, it now costs 3, and I'm sure these savings have helped me continue to lose weight without cutting out my nights out. For me, the largest contributing factor has been having a stable time and day that I weigh myself to give me an accurate account of my weight loss. If I know I have been having a bad week, knowing that the weigh-in date is approaching has helped me reign in what I am eating to make sure that I have a positive week on the scales and has definitely made me exercise more during the week to account for any gains I was having.
It would be great to see more men in the WeightWatchers groups, to spur and encourage each other in the same way so many women do, and it’s good to see that so many more men are joining. I know there are male-only classes in some locations, which might be more appealing to some men and make it easier for them to join, and talk about fitness as well as diet.
One thing I can't dispute is the positive influence that the class leaders can have on people. Fiona Halpin was a great motivator over the 12 weeks and it was not uncommon to see her doing a great job in comforting people who may have had a bad week on the scales. You always had a sense that she knew what she was talking about and she never missed a beat while presenting her topics for the week. Regardless of how I may have felt as the only fella in the room on occasion, Fiona always made me feel very welcome and would provide me with a much needed boost to my motivation if I needed it. All in all, I feel that there are aspects to the WeightWatchers system, ProPoints, weigh-ins and the philosophies of the classes, that can definitely benefit absolutely everyone if they are willing to give it a chance.
Cheers, Mark
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Name: Karen
Starting Weight: 12st 8.5lbs
Current Weight: 11s 2.5lbs
I put on a half a pound this week and I don't really mind! After leaving my job there were cakes, drinks, sunny weather and all sorts. I'm actually lucky to have only gained half a pound this week! I can’t believe how quickly the 12 weeks have gone! It hasn’t even felt like I've been dieting for 12 weeks - sometimes when I was wandering over to a Snickers bar I'd have to remind myself I'm being good but as they repeat a lot in WeightWatchers - It's a lifestyle change not a diet. So I haven't given up all the food I loved at all, just ate a lot less of it and really thought about it before I ate it.
My experience in WeightWatchers has been great. I was a little skeptical at first - surely I wouldn’t need it and could do it on my own? If only it was that easy! I found not only the plan to actually be quite flexible but the classes and support to be great as well. I'd recommend Mary's classes to anyone - she's a fantastic leader, very friendly and really knows the people who come to her classes every week. She always has great tips and recipes but most of all she can relate to everyone - we all know she loves her chocolate and she gave great advice for how to survive Easter without exploding! The encouragement and support from the classes are just what some people may need when they may not get it at home.
So after telling myself Weightwatchers probably wouldn’t make that much of a difference, I lost 20 pounds over 12 weeks - which is better than I would have hoped for at the start. I'm more active, I'm happier and my clothes are looking better by the week! I can now officially fit back into a size 12… they're tight and uncomfortable but it's still a win for me!
Overall I had a great 12 weeks, I'd recommend anyone who is struggling to give it a go. If you stick to the ProPoints plan you will lose weight - It's as simple as that! It may not be for everyone, but in my opinion it's definitely worth a try. A big thanks to Her.ie for giving us this opportunity - can I do it again?!
Karen
Do you want to take on a lifestyle change like Karen and Mark? Find your nearest Weight Watchers classes here.
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