Josh: Hi, this is Josh from the DVCC. And I’m here with Michelle Sexton who’s been a client at DVCC Bedford for quite a long while now and she’s achieved some amazing results.
I know that a lot of people listening will be able to benefit from her story, essentially, how she’s managed to do it and the things that she’s done along the way during her transformation. It’s a big transformation. So first thing’s first, Michelle, how old are you?
Michelle: Forty-three.
Josh: Okay. So let’s get straight into it. How much weight have you *lost in total?
Michelle: About 4 *stone.
Josh: Good for you. And in dress sizes, that is?
Michelle: From an 18 to 12.
Josh: Amazing. And how long has it taken you to do that?Michelle: About two years.
Josh: Awesome. So, let’s go back to where the story started. How did you first put on that weight?Michelle: I gave up smoking and put on over 4 *stone in a year and then I started yo-yo dieting, *losing a bit, putting it all back on and more; *losing a bit, putting a bit back on and more.
Josh: Okay. So can you talk to me about some of those diets that you used to have?
Michelle: I went to Slimming World. I did the milkshake diets. I’ve done the cabbage soup diets. I’ve done them all. I’ve taken slimming pills. And I’d *lose and then just put it all back on and more within months.
Josh: Was it because you or they just stopped working for you or was it because you went back to your old ways?
Michelle: I just *lost the weight and become complacent again, and then the old eating habits just crept back and…
Josh: What were those old eating habits?
Michelle: I Never had breakfast. I was hungry by 10, 11 o’clock, eating crisps, sandwiches, chocolates, cheese [popsicles].
Josh: Nice.
Michelle: And a lot of takeaways.
Josh: Okay. So mainly food for convenience then?
Michelle: Yes.
Josh: Okay. How did you form those habits? Was it something that just builds up over time? Was it something that you did because of busy schedule at work?
Michelle: I had a busy schedule at work and I was probably just lazy and not very well organized.
Josh: Okay. And did your family put on weight also?
Michelle: My husband had put on quite a bit of weight but he’s *lost a lot now as well.
Josh: Yes.
Michelle: And my son now because he has always eaten junk food and then diets.
Josh: Okay. Good, good. When did you first decide you wanted to *lose weight? Was there anything that just clicked in your mind or was it gradual thing?
Michelle: It was more a panic. We come from a history in the family of diabetes, weight-related diabetes. Since my dad, my aunts, my brother, they all were overweight and as soon as they hit their 40s and 50s, they have to take tablets to control their insulin levels.
Josh: Right.
Michelle: And they have to be very careful with what they are eating.
Because I was a size 18 and soon to be 40, I panicked a bit because I didn’t want to become a diabetic.
Josh: Okay. And is that when you came to the DVCC?
Michelle: Yes.
Josh: Okay. And how is your lifestyle different now?
Michelle: Well, I train three to four times a week when I can, but that’s most weeks. I take nutritional advice from DVCC and I haven’t gained any of the weight that I have *lost.
Josh: Great so you have kept it off.
Josh: How is your day different now to the way it was two years ago?
Michelle: I’m more organized when it comes to food and I prepare food the night before so I can just take it into work. I don’t eat bread at all anymore. I like chocolate still but I just don’t crave it as much as I used to. And the great thing is that you have your cheat meals and you look forward to that.
Josh: It’s almost like you -- well, you earn your rewards and they seem more like a reward rather than if you have it all the time and potentially it just feels like the norm.
Michelle: Definitely.
Josh: And so you would you say your mind-set is any different?
Michelle: Definitely, yes.
Josh: Good, good. So, you are a working mum.
Michelle: And grandmother.
Josh: And grandmother, so how do you juggle all this, the training and the food preparation around your *life?
Michelle: It just becomes routine. It becomes part of your routine. You know that you have to prepare your food the night before or even on the weekends and freeze some and just be able to take it out if you have to. I do all my shopping online, so I only order what I need. I get my meat delivered to my door.
Josh: Good.
Michelle: Pick it up, train, work, go home, chill.
Josh: Nice routine. So for people listening, what’s the hardest thing about maintaining your habits that you have now?
Michelle: Probably when you take a break in your routine, like going on holiday, you’ve got to get straight back into it. And it is hard…It is hard but you have to get straight back in it because you have become so lazy on holiday.
Josh: Yes, it’s hard.
Michelle: You always go with good intentions that I’m going to eat well but you never do. Puddings for lunch, puddings for dinner.
Josh: So it is just about getting back on the horse as quickly as possible then.
Michelle: Yes, definitely. And weight normally drops off. You know, whatever you have gained on holiday, you can’t beat yourself up over it because all you have to do is eat healthily for two weeks and the weight will just drop off.
Josh: Yes. So to close, what advice would you give to someone in your position or rather the position you were in two years ago when you were 4 *stone heavier?
Michelle: Just bite the bullet and do it until it is habit. Everybody at DVCC is really friendly. Everybody is really helpful. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I mean, I hadn’t been to any gym all my *life. I hadn’t done any exercise since I had left school at 18. And if I can do it, anybody can!
