Fiona Dawson pictured before her weight loss (left), and after losing 25kg.
Fiona Dawson pictured before her weight loss (left), and after losing 25kg.
Opinion by Fiona Dawson
OPINION
I spent decades working in marketing. I had loved my job, but long hours and a highly stressful environment made me lose sight of all my priorities, particularly my health. The pounds had crept up. Suddenly I was 88.5kg, a size 18 and my confidence was at an all-timelow. I felt self-conscious when I had to do presentations in front of colleagues. So, after almost a year of umming and ahhing, I quit my senior role at a luxury fashion retailer.
During the time off, my partner and I decided to get married. It was while we were on honeymoon in Canada that I asked him to take some “before” photographs of me in my underwear. I knew I was slightly large but it wasn’t until I saw the photos that it truly sank in. When I got back to the UK I decided I was going to really dedicate my time to exercise with a personal trainer and get my food on track.
In six months I lost 25kg. That sounds like a lot, but I was so in the zone and utterly focused on getting healthy.
It started with exercise. I learned some very basic home strength exercises using dumb-bells and barbells. I also started to walk more, which gradually progressed into running 5km three times a week. I could not believe I was starting to love exercise.
Time to shed the excess weight? It's a lifestyle choice. Photo / 123rf
Exercise had never been something I enjoyed or got satisfaction from. Even at school I hated PE and would do anything to get out of it.
I was able to find this place where I was free and my mind was clearing. Then I started seeing the changes in my shape. I had dropped a couple of sizes and I was able to fit into some of my old clothes.
Unfortunately, I’m not able to run anymore because I had to get a hip replacement due to arthritis. That was a bit of a knock, having a hip replacement at the age of 50, but at 53 I still walk 12,000 to 14,000 steps a day and will usually do three strength workouts a week.
Food-wise, I have never eaten badly. My fridge has always been stocked with healthy food and “low fat” alternatives such as semi-skimmed milk. My problem was portion control. I would eat the same size dinner as my husband each night, but he is much fitter and bigger than me so can eat a lot more.
My success was down to Weight Watchers. It provided me with education on nutrition and how to keep fit. Simple things like which foods keep you fullest for the longest. I was calorie counting and tracking what I ate throughout the day, as well as weighing myself at home. I started eating meals that were protein based and high in fibre — for example, meals that included chicken rather than lamb.
The best thing was that at no point did they encourage me to deprive myself of treats. A lot of people adopt the mentality that you can’t have takeaways or icecream and chocolate, but that is so wrong. It is about having a bit more self-control and not always going for all the beige food. It is also about planning. I have always been an organised person and knowing exactly what I am eating makes it so much easier to maintain that calorie deficit. So, nine times out of 10, wherever I’m going I’ll take a packed lunch, even if it is to the hairdressers. Of course, every now and then I will buy a ready-made pizza because they are so handy, or your social plans get in the way.
This enthusiasm for healthy food and nutrition has translated into what I do for work. I now work part-time for a supermarket as a healthy-eating specialist. It could not be further from the corporate grind I once knew, and while the pay cheque may not match up, I couldn’t be happier. I have more time to exercise and prioritise myself.
Just as menopause was hitting big time, my mum died and life became very challenging. I was suffering with anxiety and muscle and joint pain, as well as the grief of losing my mum. I started hormone replacement therapy and slowly started to see improvements. After a small 6kg weight gain, I managed to get back on track with the help of my personal trainer and calorie counting. I’ve managed to lose the gain now and I am managing my menopause symptoms through HRT, healthy eating and strength training. Exercise has become my most valuable support mechanism, not just for my physical health, but my mental health.
The lifestyle changes I made to lose 25kg:
What I ate before
Breakfast: Bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes and semi-skimmed milk.
Snacks: Bacon and egg croissant, banana and large skinny latte.
Lunch: Brie, bacon and cranberry baguette, crisps and chocolate.
Snack: Victoria sponge cake and chocolate raisins.
Dinner: Ready-meal lasagne.
Pudding: Icecream.
Snack: Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and lots of biscuits.
Fiona Dawson now eats omelettes to keep her weight down. Photo / 123rf
What I eat now
Breakfast: Three-egg omelette with three bacon medallions, 25g of feta cheese, two sun-dried tomatoes and a handful of spinach.
Snacks: Chocolate protein bar, one banana, weighed-out portion of nuts, home-made small almond milk latte.
Lunch: Multi-seeded bagel with chicken breast slices, 30g avocado and salad leaves, lentil crisps, Babybel light, handful of cherry tomatoes.
Snacks: Satsuma, apple.
Dinner: Peanut butter chicken and wholegrain rice with mini chocolate icecream stick for pudding.
Snacks: Portion-sized mini bag party rings or pack of four mini jammie dodgers.
Exercise before
Close to nothing. I would walk from the carpark to work and back and then sit at my desk all day. Socialising with friends meant lots of walking around shops — if that counts.
Exercise after
Strength training exercise routine, four times a week
12,000-14,000 steps every day in the countryside or sometimes by following indoor steps- motivating videos on YouTube.
Three top tips
Plan your weekly meals. On a Sunday morning I spent an hour sitting and thinking about what is in the fridge, freezer and cupboards and what I can make from that and what additional things I need to buy.
Schedule your workouts. I diarise and set reminders for my daily steps and workout routines in my calendar.
Track your body measurements. Instead of relying solely on the scales, take regular body measurements. Anybody who has started strength training will tell you that scales never tell the full story.
