Livewell Client of the month - November

Busy mum and student, Louise Storer (43) was nominated by her advisor, Aimee for persevering to conquer a number of hurdles in her weight loss journey.  Six months into her Livewell programme, Louise has lost two stone and dropped two dress sizes, going from an obese BMI to one just over the healthy range.

Louise’s 14-year-old son, Dwight is also benefitting from a healthier lifestyle, having joined the Live IT programme for children aged five to 17 at the same time as his mum.  The programme is jointly run by Derby County Community Trust and provides fun exercise and healthy eating opportunities for children and families.

Louise said:

My weight has always fluctuated but more recently I ballooned from a size 10 to 16, partly due to an underactive thyroid and the medication I was taking for depression and anxiety.  We were also tucking into too many of the wrong things such as croissants, biscuits, chocolates, crisps and fizzy drinks.   

Our weight loss journey began when Dwight was measured at school as part of the National Child Measurement Programme in March.  We received a letter explaining he was overweight along with information about the Live IT programme.  We knew our eating habits were spiralling out of control, so it encouraged me to get weighed at our doctors.  I was shocked to find I was in the obese BMI category, meaning we were both at a higher risk of future health problems.   

We both signed up with Livewell at the same time in April. Dwight has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) so isn’t comfortable in group settings so his advisor, Ben encouraged us to try swimming at Queen’s Leisure Centre, which we really enjoy doing every Sunday morning.  Dwight loves photography so we started walking more so he could take pictures, particularly in the Derbyshire countryside.

My advisor, Aimee encouraged me to keep a food diary, which helped me understand how much junk food we were actually consuming.  She gave us some practical swap ideas based on easy meals I could prepare to fit around school and my University degree. Luckily Dwight enjoys vegetables so we filled more of our plates with greens at every meal. 

When the leisure centres re-opened following lockdown, Aimee suggested I try the gym at Derby Arena.  Initially I was reluctant as my previous gym experiences left me feeling intimidated but stepping through the door at the arena, I was pleasantly surprised to find welcoming staff and people working out at their own pace and within their capabilities – it was very inspiring.  I’ve built up to three gym sessions a week now and I do home workouts from Livewell’s YouTube channel as well as walking regularly.

Six months on, Dwight and I feel healthier, trimmer and fitter.  We’ve replaced fizzy pop with green tea and water and we don’t miss McDonalds in the slightest.  We still treat ourselves to a meal out once a week but we’re mindful of what we’re choosing.  I used to dread getting up in the morning, now I’m ready to seize the day!   

Advisor, Aimee added:

Louise is a great example of how well you can do if you are persistent and committed.  Having originally joined Livewell to support her son, Louise discovered that together they could address their eating and exercise habits and in doing so, she has lost 16% of her body weight and Dwight is a healthier weight too.  Well done Louise!

Typical day for Louise and Dwight

Louise before and after her weight loss