Katie Vale was shocked to discover how much weight had crept up on her over the years. Here, she explains how she was able to transform her health and mindset. As told to Charlotte Lynton.
When I went to the GP last year and was told to get on the scale, I was annoyed – I was there for an asthma appointment, not to check my weight. When I stepped on, I learned that I was 14st 10lbs (93kg), making my BMI 37.7, or obese.
My GP told me that at 46, I was heading down the route of having a heart attack or a stroke – something I knew I needed to sort out for the sake of my three-year-old daughter.
I remained in denial for another six months after that appointment; I’m quite stubborn, and I had to make the decision to change my health for myself. I’d tried Weight Watchers and Slimming World previously, attending once and then never again. But I’d begun following Queens Park Nutrition, a local nutrition club, online. Seeing the transformation pictures and people sharing their positive results drew me in.
Ten club visits (which include breakfast) costs £55, and it’s open six mornings a week; you have to visit regularly to discuss your food diary and eating plans with its coaches. It’s nothing like other once-a-week “diet clubs” – the frequent visits mean you regularly get weighed, have your breakfast and talk to coaches, as well as share recipe tips with others.
Over the past two months, this regular attendance has helped me to create positive everyday habits and really be accountable, which is so important when it comes to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To start off with, I was a little embarrassed that I knew so little about nutrition, but I’ve learned more healthy recipes than ever before. It feels like a little community of friends, where everyone’s cheering each other on.
The focus is on looking at your body composition as a whole, rather than just focusing on the number on the scale as so many diet clubs do. Every 10 visits, you have an “MOT” where they assess things like your visceral fat levels, muscle mass, hydration, bone density and measurements.
Katie says the number of friends and family who have noticed that she’s slimmed down does feel goodOn the coaches’ advice, the biggest change I’ve made has been going from one meal a day to five. In eight weeks, that simple switch has led me to lose 1.5st (9.5kg), along with 1.5l of visceral fat. I’ve lowered my overall body fat by five per cent, increased my muscle mass through diet alone, and gained enormous amounts of energy. My sleep is better, my skin is clearer, I have more focus at work and my hair is healthier. I can’t be sure this is all down to eating five meals a day, but as it’s the only change I’ve made, I think it’s played a huge part.
Looking back at my diet before, it’s no wonder I couldn’t shift the excess weight. I would skip breakfast, and only snack – on crisps, a chocolate bar and a can of Coke – before eating a large meal at dinnertime. That would usually be a massive amount of pasta with cheese (plus bread to dunk in it), followed by ice cream. I laugh about it now, but I was consuming so much sugar, I’d be falling asleep on the sofa by 6pm. My diet was also having an impact on my parenting. Taking my daughter to the playground would involve me just pushing her on the swing; there was no way I could run around after her.
I initially put weight on due to developing depression a few years ago, compounded by extreme nausea when pregnant – the only thing that stopped me from feeling sick was to eat. I’d sometimes wake at 3am to have a sandwich just to get ahead of morning sickness that would otherwise keep me off work. After my daughter was born, I got postnatal depression, and again turned to sugar. I would take a large bottle of Coke to bed with me and drink it throughout the night. It was just a spiral.
When I was first advised to eat five meals a day, I was shocked – it sounded like a recipe for putting on more weight. But knowing what to eat and when has been transformative.
I start the day with a herbal tea and honey (honey is my sweet treat), followed by a protein smoothie for breakfast. I then have a big snack at 11am – something like two rice cakes with houmous and Quorn slices (I’m vegetarian), carrot sticks and cucumber – with another smoothie at 2pm. I have my main meal at 5pm, typically a tofu stir fry or lentil bolognese, and finish off with a yogurt topped with granola and nuts at 8pm. I also drink a lot of water and herbal teas throughout the day, and have completely ditched Coke and the Red Bull that I used to rely on for energy before.
Once I’ve lost another couple of stone, I’ll swap the shakes for other protein-rich meals instead – I currently eat 100g of protein each day, which keeps me feeling full and helps to maintain muscle.
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I’m 46, and the change in my weight means so much more than just fitting into smaller clothes. The most important shift has been with my daughter. I now chase her around the playground and go down slides with her: it’s important that I’m a good role model. I don’t want her to grow up being fattist, but nor do I want her to obsess over what she eats. Seeing her mum healthy and happy is the best thing for her.
I wasn’t especially self-conscious before, but the number of friends and family who have noticed that I’ve slimmed down does feel good. It feels a bit strange too, however, because the weight crept on so gradually that I hadn’t noticed I’d gained so much. That means when people go, “Oh my God, you’ve lost so much weight,” it reminds me how noticeable it was to others, if not myself. It’s a bit of a reality check, but I’d rather people notice and think good things than not at all. I’ve found myself wishing we weren’t heading into winter and baggy clothes season, when I’m developing so much more confidence in how I look.
I visit the club three times a week, and plan to keep doing so for the foreseeable. My goal is to lose another 2.5st – that would bring my BMI into the healthy range, and I know I’d feel even fitter than I do now. But if I get down to the point where I’ve lost 2st and look and feel fine, I’m not going to break my back to get another half-stone off. How I feel within myself is the main thing, and I only anticipate that getting better.
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