From Midlife Fitness Files: The Telegraph’s health series, where we glean advice from midlifers as they talk us through their weekly regime
Paula Mactaggart, 57, is a mortgage overseas adviser who lives in Brighton
I have been overweight for all of my adult life. I’ve learned to hide it and put up with it, but at the back of mind there was always the worry that I would develop some serious health problems. I was over 20 stone, but despite this I was really trying: I would go for long walks, even doing the Couch to 5k running regime – which isn’t easy when you’re that big – and cutting back on food.
Then in the spring of 2021, I had a routine blood test and they found out I had type 2 diabetes. It was really upsetting, but it forced me to do something about my weight. By this point I had tried almost every diet going, and I read something about the very low-calorie diets that the NHS was backing as a way to reverse diabetes.
Unfortunately, at that stage, the trials were just in the northwest. The only option offered to me locally was to be put forward for bariatric surgery, or to be on medication for the rest of my life. I felt like I just needed some support to change my diet.
I found a company that could help; it offered low calorie meals and shakes – just like on the NHS scheme – and crucially for me, there was the option of speaking to a counsellor for 20 minutes a week; someone who had been in my position and could support me through it.
I stuck to the plan, which was typically something like porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch, a snack bar and then a pre-prepared low-calorie meal like a chicken curry, for 16 weeks, which prices for each meal starting from under £3. Now I’m doing it on my own, because I know what I need to do myself.
I’ve lost four stone and I’ve put my diabetes into remission – my blood glucose levels indicate I’m even below the pre-diabetic range – but I’m still overweight and determined to lose more. I’m now 19 stone 10lbs and I’ve not been this weight since before my youngest daughter was born 29 years ago. She’s getting married on New Year’s Eve and I’m determined to drop down to a size 16 for the wedding. I know I can do it.
But what also motivates me is showing other people there is another option to medication or surgery. The way I thought about it was, why not just give this a go?
I love exercise, but a bout of Covid and then long Covid meant I stopped doing as much. I now walk 5,000 steps a day – but I want to build up to that previous level of fitness, where I used to go for 5k runs, three times a week.
Breakfast: I make an apple and kiwi shake – blitz with ice
Lunch: Macaroni cheese
Snacks: Vanilla shake with coffee
Dinner: My husband is a fantastic cook and will make a healthy chicken curry, shepherd’s pie or bolognese .
Carbs: Yes
Caffeine: Yes
Alcohol: No – but I was never a big drinker
Sleep: My head hits the pillow at 10pm and I’m out; I wake up naturally around 6am.
Paula Mactaggart used one2onediet.com
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