Ian, 67 from Manchester, wanted to start making lifestyles changes to help with his diabetes diagnosis. He had tried losing weight in the past but nothing stuck.

Ian’s GP recommended MoreLife to him, as he was diagnosed with diabetes. Both Ian and his GP wanted him to avoid going on insulin medication. Ian was also waiting for hip surgery. He wanted to try and get healthy as he could prior to this.

When Ian signed up for the MoreLife programme his BMI was 39.4. His weight impacted both his physical and mental health. He had painful joints and muscles, which affected his mobility. Ian experienced low moods and depression. He had tried diets in the past but often found them very restrictive, which left him feeling hungry and often caused him to snack more.

Joining the MoreLife programme helped completely change his relationship with food. He explained, “You’re not being controlled. Instead, you’re taught about food and how it affects your body. It empowers you to make positive decisions. You don’t need to sacrifice the foods you enjoy. MoreLife helped me break bad habits of a lifetime.”

With the help of his practitioner, Ian started eating differently. He ate more balanced meals, which helped control his diabetes. He learnt how to reduce his portion sizes and how to choose which keep him fuller for longer.

Ian’s practitioner, Lucy, said, “Ian was absolutely fantastic on the course. It was amazing to see his knowledge and confidence grow in understanding his weight management journey and how this related to his diabetes. He made great goals each week which led to a successful weight loss at the end of the programme.”

During his time with MoreLife, Ian also learnt what kind of exercises he could do with the constraints of his body. He now does an hour of aqua aerobics and an hour of Pilates each week. Alongside generally moving more by doing the gardening and housework.

He said, “It’s like something just clicked for me. I knew about food and what it does to my body before, but I didn’t make the changes. Whereas now with the help of MoreLife, I feel like I’ve got a good foundation. Now I just need to keep building my healthy habits.”

Ian was on the MoreLife programme for three months and feels confident he can continue with his progress. Especially with ongoing support from the team and the people he met during his group sessions. Not only does he gain support from them, but he feels confident enough to support the other members too.

During the first three months of his weight-loss journey, Ian lost 6 kilograms, which is nearly 4.5% of his body weight. He is excited to maintain his healthy habits and keep losing weight.