Mike Morris recently joined our Health 4 Life programme which changed his health and wellbeing around. Here is what Mike had to say about this journey and what he has achieved.

In my younger days I was always a sporty person and kept myself in good shape. I spent 4 years during my late 20’s living in a ski resort in Colorado where in the winter time I skied 100 plus days and in the summer I did a lot of mountain bike riding. We used to ride our bikes up to the top of the ski mountain which is a 3500 feet vertical climb at high altitude so you can imagine how fit you need to be to do that.

For the last 9 years or so since starting a family I have got out of the habit of doing regular exercise.

I decided it was time to do something about it so I went onto the Bushey Grove Leisure Centre website to check out Gym membership and admission prices. At the time I didn’t really want to sign up for a year’s membership and came across the advert for the health for life programme. The health for life programme looked perfect for me so I sent an email to the link on the website and applied to go on the course.

I was 47 when I started the programme and at the time I was the heaviest and most unfit I have ever been. I started on the course in April and went along to the first consultation with Tom Smith who was brilliant all the way through the course. It had been a while since I had weighed myself and I knew that I had put on weight, for a start my clothes didn’t fit me. When Tom weighed me and told me I was now 13st 10lb I was disappointed with myself. I am 5”8 tall and my ideal weight should be around 11½st so to be approaching 14st I found quite shocking.

All I needed was something to kick start me back into the habit of doing regular exercise and the health for life programme was it. My thanks go out to Tom Smith who runs the health for life programme he really was an inspiration and has so much great advice to offer on diet and fitness.

When I started on the course I was taking medication for heartburn. Tom made me aware of the importance of drinking plenty of water every day and advised me to stop drinking Diet Coke. This has proved great advice as I am no longer taking any medication for heartburn.

I took full advantage of the free vouchers handed out on the course and used the gym three times a week and got into a routine of going every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. I also started riding my bike again on the days I was not in the gym. As my fitness has improved over the weeks I have also started running and can now run for an hour.

Through the advice I got on the course I have completely changed my eating habits and have learnt to eat a healthier balanced diet. I don’t see it as being on a diet, I see it more of a change of lifestyle. The weight is now taking care of itself, I lost 16ibs on the course taking me to just over 12½st and I am still losing an average of 1lb a week. Three weeks after the course and I am now down to 12st5lbs and I have every confidence I will achieve my goal and get down 11½st in the coming months.

There must be loads of people out there who like me have got out of the habit of doing regular exercise and put on weight. It is a great feeling to lose weight and get fit again and I would highly recommend the health for life programme to anyone.