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Alison: “I feel better than I have for years”

Having been a regular at Weight Watches and Slimming World, Alison needed a new approach. Now, 2-stone lighter, she describes her Second Nature journey!

Alison: “I feel better than I have for years”

Alison had been battling with her weight for years and had been a regular at Weight Watchers and Slimming World. When it was clear that this was not sustainable for her, Alison decided to try Second Nature. Now, 2 stone lighter and feeling rejuvenated, she can tell you her inspiring story!

*A stock image has been used*

A bit about you

I’ve had a weight problem for as long as I can remember. From my teens onwards, I tried a variety of diets, including Weight Watchers and Slimming World, and managed to lose some weight. However, I quickly got bored with bland food and feeling hungry. It seemed that the price for losing weight was boredom and hunger that would even wake me in the night.

Not surprisingly, before too long I gave up and went back to my old eating habits. The years passed and little by little the weight crept on, particularly after having my two daughters. I was a size 18 for years, not particularly happy about it, but more or less accepting that I was always going to be that size.

A health scare

This changed in the summer of 2019 when the results of a 24-hour blood pressure monitor revealed I was on the verge of requiring medication for high blood pressure. I was also aware that I was at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and the thought terrified me!

Quite simply, I realised I was taking chances with my health and I was beginning to pay the price. Scanning through Facebook one day, I saw an advert for Second Nature, read the information there and a lot of Trustpilot reviews and realised this could be the answer I was looking for.

Never looking back

I signed up to start a few weeks later after my summer holiday. I’ve never looked back. The first week was a bit challenging in that I had a crushing headache from caffeine withdrawal and probably sugar too, but I never felt hungry. The recipes in the book supplied by Second Nature are delicious and filling and don’t have huge ingredient lists so I didn’t feel I was constantly buying expensive ingredients.

Cooking from scratch wasn’t new to me as I’ve always done that and I was under the impression that all my meals were healthy. Well, to an extent they were, but I was eating far too many carbs without realising it. I was also restricting fat as that was the message the media had been sending me over the years – fat was the enemy!

Initially, I was dubious about using cheese and butter in the recipes as I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to lose weight. How wrong I was! Within 2 weeks I’d lost 9.5lbs, something I’d never been able to do before. Not only that but it was pain-free – I was eating delicious food that was full of flavour and I was never hungry. I was converted!

What makes Second Nature different?

What makes Second Nature so different from other weight loss programmes is that they take a holistic approach to weight loss. It’s not just focused on how much weight you can lose but on developing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle through exercise (lots of great videos to follow) and mindfulness techniques to making sure there’s time to just ‘be’.

All of this and other topics are covered in the daily articles that I found informative and interesting. Some of it I knew but a lot of it I didn’t. The biggest revelation was reading about caffeine and its effects on the body. I’d always insisted caffeine didn’t affect me and would drink both tea and coffee all-day right up to bedtime. Giving it up resulted in me sleeping so much better which in turn means I’ve got a lot more energy. A huge bonus!

The support I’ve received from the people in my group and my health coach, Tom, has been invaluable in this journey to a new healthier me. Everyone in my group was willing to share ideas for recipes and a bit of support on the odd occasion when someone needed it. Tom is friendly and helpful and was always available to answer a question or offer a solution for any difficulties I met on the way.

A new lease of life

I’m 2 stone lighter, more energetic, sleeping well, have clearer skin and just generally feel better than I have for years. My doctor is delighted too – at my last check-up, my blood pressure was in the normal range. Most importantly, I feel like the changes I’ve made are sustainable for the future.

You can read more Second Nature stories here.

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