Hi Guys,
I’m Joanne Delaney, I’m a 33 year old Sales & Marketing Manager and Health & Beauty writer based in Cork. Michael O’Brien, my fellow counterpart marketing manager with Motivation Weight Management asked me if I’d like to blog about my weight loss journey.
I was delighted he asked me and I hope you find some words of encouragement in my story. Here goes…..
Being predominately office based, me like most people find it hard not to snack on rubbish especially when it’s so convenient to grab and go – but doing that for so many years eventually takes its toll on your body.
This is my story…
Before I knew it, my weight spiralled out of all control leaving me at my heaviest ever weight of 25st in 2015!
Now like most people, I didn’t feel like I was that heavy, in fact I failed to see a true reflection of what I was doing to myself with my unhealthy eating – but one day that changed.
My husband and I were struggling for years to get pregnant, and had been through a lot of fertility treatments but nothing seemed to be working for me, doctors put it down to me having PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome) but an ultrasound showed no issues there.
Gradually I began to slip in to a dark place , struggling to find solace in anything I did, food was my comfort blanket – a comfort blanket that seemed like an endless battle, I literally ate myself into oblivion , it was then I saw a true reflection of what had happened to my body.
I needed.. No I WANTED to change.
In January 2016 I began my own journey to regain some health and balance into my life, I started to go to the gym and swim daily, and gradually after only 3 months I had lost 4 stone, and felt amazing.
In August 2016 we got the shock of our lives – we found out we were pregnant without help all completely natural!! It was the happiest most surreal most amazing feeling in the world, our little family would finally be completed, we told our families and friends and couldn’t wait to announce it to the world.
On the 23rd of September 2016 (our wedding anniversary) we went for our three month scan, well we were 13 weeks and 2 days along but hey.. Who’s counting?
The nurse cried with us when she told us there was no heartbeat – we were heartbroken, our little angel was gone.
I found myself turning to my “Comfort Blanket” yet again allowing it to be my fortress and hiding myself below it, needless to say all the hard work I had put in the months before had been obliterated.
I fell in to the darkest place I’ve ever been, I isolated myself for everyone, family, friends, and work.
I shut myself off from society for months and pilled on the pounds, I felt withdrawn, heartbroken, the grief was too much – I just gave up on me.
Luckily my husband saw what was happening and managed to talk me in to getting some help. I did.
It felt like nothing would work, until finally one day I woke up and finally saw some sunlight through those grey clouds.
I felt I needed to get myself back on track so I got up, dusted myself off – went back to work and started to get my life back on track, and so my Motivation Weight Management journey began.
I started with Motivation Weight Management in November 2017 weighing in at 22st 10lb
Aisling, my weight loss consultant at Motivation, helps me so much in my journey, she helped me highlight my late night eating, she has so many quirky ways of making you think about things, my favourite one being – Little pickers wear bigger knickers, I LOVE this quote, and I remember it every time I go to the fridge and stub that out – but to be fair, if mid night snacks are so bad for you, why is there a light in the fridge?? Sort it out fridge makers –
I had tried diets in the past and always felt deflated after a few weeks, but with Motivation Weight Management it just felt different.
Week one was tough, sugar withdrawals were the worst, headaches, nausea blah blah blah.. After a few days that was all gone, and after my first weigh in I was only too thrilled with a WHOPPING 10lb loss..
And it’s just got better every week since – mind you I did put a pound on over Christmas but hey.. I’m only human.
Today, I’m 9 weeks into my programme, and cannot believe I have lost 2st !!!!
I’m aiming for a 10st weight loss overall and every week I’ll be keeping you all updated with my journey along with some tips I pick up along the way…
It’s not an easy road, it’s not going to happen overnight , it’s a journey – a lifestyle change , a new you.
It’s a long road after all, but I CAN DO IT, and so can you!
I’m always looking for journey buddies so if you ever want to tag along to a gym class or a walk feel free to get in touch…
Until next week
X
Joanne
