Page 15 - Annual Report 2021-2022

At the second consultation and programme review, Louise was keen to try using new equipment so Linda made sure to include some different exercises to aid compliance and ensure Louise remained challenged and motivated. By this stage, Louise was making good progress, feeling more confident, losing weight and gaining strength.
At the third review, Louise disclosed she was experiencing a plateau in weight loss and strength gains, so to help counter this she was tasked
with the challenge of burning 2,500 calories
per day by increasing her activity levels further. More cardiovascular exercise was included in
her programme and it was recommended she increase the repetitions and sets on the resistance machines, which had the desired effect and assisted with further weight loss.
Linda also explained the benefits of counting macros when recording food intake and helped Louise determine her daily calorie and macronutrients needs and encouraged her
to record them in her food diary to promote health seeking behaviours, rather than just focussing on counting calories.
At the final review, Louise was delighted with the progress she had made in taking positive steps towards achieving her goals along with seeing a marked improvement
in her VO2 max. Louise believes receiving different challenges at every review kept her incentivised.
As to be expected, Louise encountered some barriers along the way, such as feeling a little hungry at times or wondering if she should be eating more. To help counteract this, Linda assured her that creating a small daily calorie deficit was an effective way to achieve weight loss and encouraged Louise to monitor her daily food intake to ensure she was eating an adequate amount. Linda suggested Louise considered how her clothes were fitting, which was a good indication of her changing body shape, rather than the number on the scales any time her weight plateaued.
At the end of the 12 week period, Louise
was thrilled to discover she was no longer prediabetic and was pleased with the
advice and support she received for the duration of the challenge, both physically and emotionally. She rightly feels proud of how far she has come and is confident she can continue on her fitness journey now she has the tools to do so. She has achieved great results and has not only lost weight but gained confidence, increased her strength and endurance and reports an improvement in her mental wellbeing, resulting in her feeling more energised and happy!
Congratulations, Louise, on a terrific achievement. Your determination and hard work have certainly paid off!
*VO2 max – The maximum or optimum rate at which the heart, lungs and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise, used as a way of measuring a person’s individual aerobic capacity.
** SMART goals - S - Specific (How many times per week, where and when?) M - Measurable (Can it be a timed or distanced measured goal?)
A – Achievable (How confident are you that you can achieve this goal?) R - Relevant (How important is it
to you?) T – Timed (When are you going to start? Are you going to set a date to achieve this goal?)
liveArgyll.co.uk 15