Derek’s Time with Fit Fans

How was life before Fit Fans?

“During the 2 or 3 years prior to starting the 12-week Fit Fans program I had slipped into an unhealthy lifestyle eating quite a lot of convenience food and drinking more alcohol than I should, whilst at the same time reducing the amount of regular exercise I was doing which led me to steadily gaining weight. Around Christmas time I decided enough was I enough, I was fed up with having to go out and buy clothes the next size up, being out of breath when I got to the top of the stairs, struggling to perform ablutions as I struggle to reach around to my backside and even struggling to get out of the bath without turning on my hands and knees. All in all, I was in a pretty bad shape, and it had just crept up on me.”

What work has Fit Fans done with you?

“During the program we have worked though the Fit Fans workbook, which goes through the theory side of how to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Both the workbook and the way it was presented by our mentors Jack and Diane was excellent. It covered various topics, from the various food groups and the recommended quantities of each we should be aiming to eat, about portion sizes and ways to reduce them, about how to reduce calorie intake by just making changes to either what I ate or the way I had cooked it and recognising from food labels what where healthier options and what weren’t. It also covered alcohol consumption and the number of units I should be aiming to get down to. We also talked about the benefits of increasing our exercise, and even suggested ways we could achieve it without it becoming tedious and therefore unlikely to have the desired effect. It even covered how to deal with setbacks and how deal with them. The workbook was a really useful tool to refer back to during the program and also to track the exercise we were doing in terms of steps. It also helped me to track smart targets that I could set myself throughout the programme and encouraged me to review them to see how I was doing. There were many highlights during the program for me, but the main ones were, the new friends I have met and the comradery within the group, supporting and encouraging each other. The past participants and the players visits were both interesting and inspirational. And the chance to meet and even have a kick around one of my favourite past player John McGinlay will never leave me.”

Has Fit Fans made the difference to you?

“Since starting the programme I have seen my lifestyle change completely, I now eat far more fruit and vegetables than ever before, have a far healthier and varied diet, cut down on my alcohol intake and exercise every day and even enjoy it. I Have been fortunate enough that the changes I have made have resulted in tremendous results for me personally, I have lost 20.2kg in weight and 18.5 cm around my waste and md neck size for my shirts have gone from 19.5inches to 17.5 inches, which I wouldn’t have dreamed was possible before the start of my journey. I am no longer out of breath going up stairs and I am able to perform my ablutions far more easily. If I hadn’t started at Fit Fans, I wouldn’t now be being treated with medication for my high blood pressure and cholesterol, which I only found out about when having my measurements taken at the beginning of the program, which my GP is confident will be able to be reduced it time as I get fitter.”

How is life now?

“I feel now I am a lot more confident in myself, volunteering to do things that prior to the program I would probably have would have said no to, due to the though of how hard it would have been in the condition I was in then. I have been inspired to join the exit sessions and are enjoying them immensely and have restarted playing Golf for the first time in 10 years, not only that I don’t even need a trolly and carry my clubs around with me. I now feel really positive about my journey so far and the rest of my journey ahead.

I would strongly recommend Fit Fans to anyone; the program has been brilliant and has made a big difference to my lifestyle and wellbeing and that of the of my wife who now comes out walking with me and has lost nearly 10 kg and a couple of dress sizes.”