“The longest journey starts with the first step”
Click here to watch Alans interview.
Alan’s story pivots around the unexpected loss of his wife where his life was turned upside-down. Living in Scotland, he decided to move to Sandbach to be close to family, even so, life was tough.
However, through accessing One You Cheshire East’s Re-Shape and Active Lives programme, it has helped him overcome this loss, giving him a whole new sense of purpose and ambition, he wants to be around to see his grandchildren grow up.
Alan was toying with dieting and not really getting anywhere, out of the blue he received a text from Ashfields Medical Centre promoting One You Cheshire East’s, free, adult weight management programme called Re-Shape.
“I thought, that’s great, there is some help, so I responded to the text and before I knew it, I was signed up to a 12-week programme.
When I was given the opportunity to join this programme, I realised it was the right thing for me to do because for months I knew I was overweight, and I had been messing around with trying to cut down on the wrong things and so on. When the opportunity arose, I took it with both hands.”
Before Alan joined the programme he shared
“I was naturally a bit nervous, a bit sceptical, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, over many years I have been on many different diets, all of which had almost no impact at all, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
When I got there and there were other people in the same boat as me, I very quickly realised this was something different, this wasn’t just not eating, this was a structured approach to dieting.”
The Re-Shape programme showed to Alan that the most important thing was to get the mind straight,
“If you get the mind straight, I won’t say it becomes a piece of cake, maybe that is the wrong thing to say anyway, but it is much easier if your mind is tuned to what you are trying to do.”
As part of the Re-Shape programme, participants are invited to take part in Active Lives, a free, 12‑week physical activity programme, offering access to a wide variety of opportunities, including gym sessions, fitness classes, swimming and other activities tailored to individual interests.
Active Lives is designed to highlight the proven benefits of regular exercise on health and wellbeing. By combining physical activity with the nutritional guidance provided through Re-Shape, participants can enjoy a more holistic approach to improving their lifestyle and achieving lasting results.
Alan took up the offer of the free Active Lives programme, sharing,
“Sometimes I think I would rather have a punch in the face than go to the gym but in reality, the gym folk at Sandbach are so friendly and so welcoming, they know what they are doing, the place is well equipped and I have got to the stage where I actually enjoy coming.“
At the end of the free, 12-week Active Lives programme, Alan has purchased a year’s membership to continue with his active lifestyle.
“If you get the opportunity to go on the Active Lives programme take it, because there are plenty of us on that journey through the gym, don’t be put off by the marathon runners and the weightlifters and body builders you might run in to, just concentrate on what you are doing yourself. The coaches at the gym are very good, very helpful, they will always show you what you’re doing wrong and if you are using a piece of equipment incorrectly and they are very encouraging, so there is nothing not to like about this programme.”
The best thing for Alan coming out of this is, he eats much more healthily, he is losing weight, has lost over a stone and he thoroughly enjoys going to the gym.
“Overall the benefits are twofold, the loss of weight and the active lifestyle that I now lead.”
Alan often now walks into town instead of taking the car which he enjoys. To anyone who might be nervous about joining, Alan shares
“It is perfectly understandable to be a little nervous and unsure because you are stepping on a journey that you haven’t been on before possibly, or perhaps you have and you might have lost your way.
It is a cooperative effort, led by a coach who knows exactly what they are talking about, the material that is delivered as part of the programme, the handbooks and so on, first class, well written and easily read.
Others on the journey are probably just as nervous as you are, but trust me, it’s easy, it’s a very supportive process, there is no criticisms, the coaches are there to help and re-enforce the message which they do wonderfully. There is nothing not to like about this, it is great.”
If you would like to find out more, please visit www.oneyoucheshireeast.org/ or contact the One You Cheshire East team by calling: 0300 123 5026 or emailing  [email protected]