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Weight no More!

Last year we challenged 10 of our readers to be a Slim Me For 2003 by losing a stone in weight over Christmas and the New Year. The challenge is now over and Jennifer Bradbury reports on how they did.

It's only been 10 weeks but in that time our slimmers have lost a staggering 133 pounds between them.

And when you consider that Christmas and New Year intervened their efforts are well worth a round of applause.

So who did the best? Well, they were all brilliant, but the overall champion is Helen Tate from North Shields who lost 22lb. She saw our challenge as an incentive for her to shed the 6st she felt she needed to lose.

Aged 38 and 5ft 8in, Helen weighed in at 17st 1lb. A gastro-intenstinal specialist nurse at Sunderland Royal Hospital, most of her patients are cancer sufferers and one of her main concerns was that it must be depressing for them to be told to lose weight by a "fat person".

Initially, we assigned Helen to Paul Titmuss of LighterLife, a challenging programme of abstinence for people more than three stones overweight. Unfortunately, the programme didn't suit Helen, who is borderline lactose-intolerant, so she teamed up with Chronicle-columnist Marion Hoyle of Slimming Unique.

Marion doesn't believe in diets and her regime is based on her clients eating "normal" food cooked in a healthier way.

And it worked a treat for Helen who said: "It's not like dieting at all. It is real food and the whole family can have the same. I was `naughty' for two weeks over Christmas but didn't put any weight on - mind I didn't take any off either. I would recommend this diet to anyone, especially for people who have to cook for the family."

Here's how the rest of our slimmers did in the challenge.

Fat and frumpy was how Norma Barker described herself at the beginning of the challenge. But it's a very different story today.

Under the care of Ladies' First health club in Cramlington, Northumberland, Norma, 46, a mum-of-two, has lost 20lb and over 60cm of body mass - a feat of which she is rightly proud.

But it's not been all plain sailing as Norma, a carer, from Eastfield Grange, Cramlington, has had to put a lot of determination and effort into her training schedule which involves four to five visits to the gym each week, as well as eating sensibly and cycling.

However, it was a lot easier than Norma initially expected and now she swears her new regime is a way of life.

At the start she weighed in at 12st 4lb and now she's a fit and healthy 10st 10lb, easily meeting our challenge and almost at her long-term target of 10st.

Marilyn Taylor, 48, of Chapel House, Newcastle started the challenge weighing in at 15st 7lb. She stands 5ft 4in and works as an administrator.

We teamed her up with fitness consultant Michael Pellegrino and before Christmas she had already lost a stone.

Marilyn admits that with work and Christmas commitments she'd not been going to the gym as much as she would have liked, but she has every intention of keeping up her exercise schedule in 2003.

She plans to join a gym and has nothing but praise for personal trainer Michael Pelligrino.

Marilyn's commitment is evident as she's got a fit ball at home.

"I still want to lose more weight and my aim is 11st. And I think I can now. This has changed my way of life and now I need to keep it up," says Marilyn.

Andrea Hitchen from Cullercoats, North Shields, also teamed up with Marion Hoyle. At the start Andrea, 41, a dental practice manager, weighed 10st and stood just 5ft in her stockinged feet. Now she weighs 9st and says: "I feel more comfortable - in fact I feel great."

She's also a great fan of Marion's recipes, which feature each week in the Chronicle.

"It's been great, there's loads of choice, the only thing that I've had to cut down on is the pasta," says Andrea.

She's also not been forced to give up her nightly swig of wine. "I have to have a glass of wine," she laughs.

"But being serious it's not been difficult at all and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I've even got my friend to sign up with Marion."

Christine White, 49, a supply teacher from West Denton, was assigned for the challenge to Steve Denby and his team at Jesmond-based Bodyguards, under the capable care of personal trainer Wayne Hedley.

At the start Christine, 5ft 2in, who suffers from painful arthritis, weighed in at 12st 4lb.

However, she admits she has had to cancel quite a number of her scheduled sessions because of work, although she had lost 5lb before Christmas.

"I've not gone as much as I would've liked to. But even though I missed sessions I still feel there's been an improvement in my overall fitness and I've got increased levels of energy."

She's also seen an improvement in her arthritis. "Before, walking to the corner shop was painful, now I've been able to go out for an hour, and not just walking, but brisk walking," she Christine.

She's also impressed with her overall improved posture.

Mary Foster teamed up with dietcoach Dr Judy Citron, who, along with her team of diet coaches, aims to change the habits of clients by mirroring the behaviour of slim people.

At the start of the challenge Mary, 52, of Seaton Burn, near Newcastle, weighed in at 13st 3lb and had got down to 12st 1lb before Christmas. But the domestic at a children's nursery, who described herself at the start as the archetypal frumpy 50-something, was a wee bit naughty over the festive season and has put on 4lb. But she's determined to get back on track. As well as weekly support and advice from the diet coach, Mary has launched herself into physical training. She has an exercise bike she uses three times a week and she does power walking and sit ups in the house and takes brisk walks.

"I feel a lot better for it," she says. "When you take part in the phone sessions someone will say something, and you'll think that's a good idea.

"I was really down in the dumps when I contacted the challenge, so this has been great. Judy offers good advice and if you're prepared to listen to it and put in the effort then it works."

Christine Armstrong, 28, a 5ft 3in travel agent from Cochrane Park, started the challenge at 14st 7lb. One of the reasons she wanted to lose weight was that she wanted to start a family, but feared those extra pounds would pose a problem. She was linked up with personal trainer David Fairlamb.

At her final weigh-in Christine had lost 16lb and now weighs in at a slimline 13st 5lb.

She says: "I've really enjoyed it. I have been going to the gym three times a week and I get depressed when I'm not there. And surprisingly I've not found it difficult."

At the start she found it tough but is now running more than a mile nonstop on the treadmill. Her clothes are hanging off her and colleagues have remarked not just on the weight loss but on her overall fitness.

Christine's ultimate aim is 10st. "It's within my grasp," she says. "When I joined the challenge I really hoped something would happen and it has."

At the start Alan Johnson revealed that he'd not played football for a good few years as his back and knee had gone.

Yet just five weeks into the challenge he was kicking a ball about like a youngster.

But Alan is another dieter who fell victim to the dreaded winter flu and his training trailed off over the festive season. But he's still achieved the challenge and he's obviously taken on board the advice given as over Christmas he only put on 1lb.

Alan, 46, a 5ft 5in plumber from High Heaton, Newcastle, weighed 14st 8lb and is now a stone lighter.

Personal trainer Gary Nash introduced him to a whole new world of exercise and sensible eating. A combination of circuit training, gym exercise, weight training and making sure he didn't snack on junk did the trick.

According to Gary, Alan's actually lost 2st. "On the scales he's actually lost a stone but he's got rid of an awful lot of body fat and actually added 8lb of muscle. Now his metabolism is so much faster, he should keep the weight off."

Alan also lost 43cm from his body mass, his blood pressure is down from 158/105 to 122/81 and his percentage body fat from 36 per cent to 30 per cent.

In addition Alan's cholesterol reading - a worryingly high 9.3 at the start - is down to a very healthy 5.3.

"He had blood like soup," says Gary. "Now it's like water. That's far more important than weight loss as it's one of the biggest killers in the UK."

New mum Tammy Lane, 22, from Stoneygate, Gateshead, is 5ft 3in. At the start of the challenge she weighed 11st 7lb but now weighs 10st 9lb.

She was assigned to diet coach Susan Burke from Slimming4U and actually lost a massive 8lb in the first few weeks, but due to personal problems she was unable to talk to Susan on a regular basis, which would have been preferable.

But the mum-of-three is delighted with the results. "I found the diet coach really good," said Tammy. "She was very supportive. There were times when I was quite down and she'd always get me feeling positive. I used to comfort eat and she made me realise I didn't need to because I wasn't hungry. She gave very good advice, which I've taken on board and she gives you that encouragement. And it works. It's just a shame that my problems got in the way.

"Now I'm on a roll and have no intention of stopping. I want to get down to 9st and now I know I can do it," she said.

One of the original 10 slimmers, Emma Crawford, a 22-year-old student from Sherburn Hill, Co Durham, dropped out shortly after our challenge started.
Lots of pampering for winner

Thanks to Greens Health & Fitness, our lucky winner, Helen Tate, will be treated to one day's pampering at their Gosforth health centre. This will begin with a swim, sauna, spa, sunbed and lunch at the Brasserie followed by a body massage and a facial.

And to help our winner continue with their weightloss programme, Greens will also provide a month's membership for the winner and a guest.

Greens, who are part of the De Vere Group Plc, have also offered to provide complementary week passes for all who took part in our Slim Me for 2003.

Author Jennifer Bradbury
Publication 'A Slim Me for 2003' - Evening Chronicle
Date Thursday 16th January, 2003


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