Louise Mills, 41, from Harlow, used lockdown to start her weight-loss journey from the comfort of her own home. Thanks to the help of the MoreLife team, she managed to lose weight during the pandemic.
Louise was referred to MoreLife Essex by her local GP in March 2020.
When Louise joined MoreLife at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, health was at the forefront of her mind. She felt stuck in her habits and needed motivation to start making changes. She said, “I was living alone and coming back from work feeling really tired. I usually picked whatever was easiest, rather than what was healthiest. Fast food apps played a big part in this, too.
I got into a mindset where I told myself I would start eating healthily tomorrow, then the next day and the next. Whilst my weight wasn’t affecting my health medically, I was the biggest I’d ever been and knew I had to change.”
Due to the pandemic, MoreLife had paused its in-person meetings, so Louise undertook the programme virtually. With a lack of self-confidence, Louise was initially anxious at the thought of virtual group sessions, but quickly changed her mind after meeting the group and practitioner.
“THE PROGRAMME HAS GIVEN ME THE TOOLS TO MAKE MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE EASIER”
“At first, I didn’t like the idea of virtual meetings, but they were much better suited to my busy lifestyle. You don’t have to rush around getting to one place after work, you can relax and engage from the comfort of your own home. I felt so welcomed amongst the group and it really supported my journey being around likeminded people,” she said.
Louise successfully lost 4 stone, 9lb during her time on the MoreLife adult weight management course. This had a huge positive impact on her life.
“The programme has given me the tools to make my day-to-day life easier. I can get out of bed easier, I can walk a lot easier, I no longer suffer from insomnia. While I know I’ve still got a way to go on my journey, I now have the confidence to live a healthier life.”
Emily Costelloe, MoreLife Essex Contract Manager, said; “It’s been inspiring to see individuals like Louise take the first steps to leading a healthy lifestyle, especially during such a challenging year. We have seen throughout the pandemic that the virtual weight management groups have seen strong outcomes for our clients.”
From improving eating habits to the power of sleep, increasing physical activity levels to managing stress, the programme gave Louise the skills to make small improvements to her life.
Louise continues to take steps with her weight loss journey. With a new love for adventure walking, she has set herself a new target of walking 630 miles to support her continued weight loss.
