It seemed that for every kilogram that fell off, I lost mental ‘weight’ as well.
Jaco struggled with his weight for the better part of twenty years. Joining Weigh-Less not only gave him the opportunity
to lose weight, but also the chance to let go of the emotional baggage he had been carrying with him, proving that the journey
to Goal Weight, is also a journey to self-discovery...
Facts and Figures
Height: 1.85m
Weight before: 109.4kg
Weight lost: 18.8kg
Weight now: 92kg
Time taken: 5 ½ months
My Comfort Zone
My eating habits have never revolved around healthy eating, mostly due to my hectic schedule.
My typical day started without breakfast and, more often than not,
I would skip lunch too. Sometimes five cups of coffee would be the only thing that crossed my
lips before I settled down to dinner at night.
Although I have always wanted to look better, I never really got around to pursuing this desire. I was simply too fond of food and had too much going on in my life to make my health a priority. I kept telling myself that it’s okay and that I should just accept the way that I look and who I am, but I found myself comparing my figure to that of other men, and being upset that they seemed to have it all while I was stuck in an overweight body. Looking back, I am not sure why I never made a real effort to change this,
but I realise now that even low self-esteem can become a comfort zone.
My Turning Point
One morning whilst tying my shoelaces, the thought occurred to me that this simple action could be much easier if my belly wasn’t in the way. And so, I decided that I would start exercising in order to get my weight under control. I started one exercise routine after another, and became more and more despondent because I didn’t see results. Moreover, the idea of going on a diet sounded too much like food-deprivation to me, and I knew it was not something that I would be able to commit to. I was falling deeper and deeper into a hole that I had dug for myself. I thought
that if my attempts to exercise the weight off weren’t working, I would have to resign myself to the fact that I was always going to be this size.
However it all changed when my wife suggested that we join Weigh-Less together with some friends of ours. Initially I was not keen at all as I remembered my mom’s little Weigh-Less food scale in our kitchen when I grew up and the idea of joining a programme to lose weight just did not appeal to me – not to mention weighing my food.
I realised, however, that it was important to my wife, so in the end I caved and one Friday morning we joined our local Weigh-Less group.
Facing the scale
When I got onto the scale for the first time in years, two things hit me – one was the fact that I was weighing in at a very unhealthy 109.4kg and the other was that I had just committed to a programme where the first two weeks would be without coffee! Ironically this moment was also the closest I ever came to self-acceptance. I just did not think it was going to be worth it, and didn’t believe that it was sustainable for a man with a love for food like I have. Being one of the only men in our Group made me feel a little out of place, like I had stepped over into a woman’s world, but I soon realised that weight loss was not exclusively a
female concern, and that anybody who wanted to be slimmer, healthier and happier had a place in a Weigh-Less Group.
One of the changes I had to make was to eat smaller portions more regularly. The Weigh-Less eating plan, I soon discovered, was not the hunger-torture I expected it to be. On the contrary, the food was healthy and delicious, and I enjoyed eating it! In the beginning, however, I gave myself one day a week (usually a Friday) ‘off’, when I ate what I want and as much of it as I wanted to. It was a good coping strategy, something I felt was imperative to adapt to a change in your daily routine. Soon, however, I adapted to the Weigh-Less eating plan, enjoyed all the meals and the regular portions, now I don’t feel like a
free
s day anymore and I keep to my formula.
Although I realised that comparing myself physically to other men was an unhealthy habit, as God made each of us unique, I still found myself doing it, and begrudged those who were slimmer and fitter than I was. However, as the weight fell off, I found that I was comparing my progress, rather than my potbelly, to the men around me, and that I felt better with every kilogram that I lost.
A month later I had lost nearly 9kg. I cannot remember one defining moment, but I remember realising that it was not as difficult as I thought it would be and that the commitment I made was paying off. For the first time in ages, I started thinking that I could actually do this, and remove this big obstacle from my life.
It seemed that for every kilogram that fell off, I lost mental ‘weight’ as well.
A life-changing journey
I started realising how important my health and wellness was, not only to myself, but to my family as well. I had promised my wife that I would take care of her the day that we got married, and I promised my first adopted son that he would have a father. How could I fulfil these promises if I passed away due to ill health? The longer I denied that I had a problem, the larger the potential difficulty for my family became.
With Weigh-Less, however, I had come to discover a solution to one of the problems I had been struggling to live with – my weight. Somehow, the opportunity to deal with this problem in a healthy manner made it easier for me to overcome the other obstacles in my life. I no longer had to pretend to accept myself or try to be like someone else, someone who had his life together. Instead I could focus on bettering my life and being the best Jaco I could be... a healthy and happy man.
Regaining control
I loved the Group dynamic of our Group and without needing to make an effort, there is a feeling of camaraderie that makes me look forward to going. I feel like I am part of a team with the same goals and challenges, and that makes all the difference when you are attempting to better yourself and your life. I now see the value in having a support system in place, and I’m grateful to my wife for convincing me to join.
Five and a half months later, I reached Goal Weight, and had lost almost 19kg – that’s a lot of blocks of butter! This has given me a new lease on life; I feel great and have gained a lot of confidence. I dress like someone who is proud of how he looks, and I no longer wear dull baggy clothes, and I must admit – I love all the compliments!
Looking back at this experience and the way forward, I realise that gaining weight is something that steals part of your life. I do not believe that there is anyone out there who truly accepts being overweight. Gaining weight implies losing control in certain aspects of your life and the only way to get it back is to become accountable to yourself and find the strength, despite life’s beatings. To fight back and take control. There is no quick fix for this, no easy pill to swallow to make it all go away. The only way to have sustained weight loss is through accountability..
This has been an incredible journey for me, a lifestyle change that I needed.
When I started on this road to a healthier and slimmer me, I couldn’t fathom what a profound effect it would have on my life. It has taught me a lot about myself – what I can do if I put my mind to it – and about what is truly important.
