Healthy_Food_Guide_UK_-_January_2020

JANUARY 2020HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 41

WEIGHT LOSS

PHOTOS: EMZ POWELL PHOTOGRAPHY, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

ChristineChapman,63,isa careerandlifecoach

fromSouthWales.Yearsofdietingleftherno

happierwithherbody,butshelostmorethan

a stoneafterseekinghelp from psychologist

DrHelenMcCarthy.

Myweighthasgoneupanddownovertheyears.

I starteddietingwhenI was 15 afterreading

aboutit inmagazinesandI becameobsessed

withdemonisingcertainfoods. I’d binge, then

cutdown,binge,thencut

down.Asa teenagerI was

slimbutI remembersome

girltolda friendofmine

thatI lookedfatandI was

mortified.Then,whenI was

pregnantwithmyfirst child,

I puton3 stone.

AttimesI’vefeltguiltyabout

myweight.Whenyou’reyounger

you’renotasconfidentandyoudo

internalisestereotypesaboutfat

peoplehavinga lackofwillpower.

Butit wasn’tjustthatI feltI hada weight

problem.I alsograduallygotveryobsessedwith

foodandI feltlikeit wascontrollingme.Insome

waysI feltenslavedtoit.I’dsetmyselfstrictrules

aboutwhatI couldeatina day,butthenwhenI

wasstressed,I’denduphavingnotjustonecake,

buttwo– andperhapsI’devengobackforthe

third.Myresolutionwouldgooutofthewindow

whenI wastired.I’dcomehomefromworkand

havea healthydinner,butthenI’dgetfedupand

I’dcutbigwedgesofbreadandmakemyself

porridgeaswell.Thiswasquitea regularthing,

so of course over the years I put on weight.

THEHEARTOFTHEPROBLEM

Theturningpointformecamein2016.,I was

takingpartinsomeworktrainingandwehadto

bringa problemtothemeetingsowecouldbe

coachedinpublic.I thought,‘Right,I’mgoingto

talkaboutthisproblemofmyeating.’Oneofthe

womenonthecourseofferedmeheradvice.She

said:‘I thinkyououghttohavesometherapyfor

this.’Somethingclicked, and that’s when I went

toseeHelen.

WhenI lookbackonthatmomentI feelso

pleasedthatthewomansaidwhatshedid,

becauseshepickeduponsomethinginme.

It wasn’t just about the weight. Yes, I wanted

❛I used to feel food was

controlling me... Now I’m free❜

tolosea bitofweight,butI wantedmore

thana quickfix.I wantedtoworkoutwhatthe

deep-seatedissueswithmyeatingwere.

Helenreallyturnedmylifearound.I sawherfor

justovera yearandshe helped me listen to my

body,ratherthan

listeningtomycravings.

Formeit’sallabout

portionsize.I noweat

everythingI wantto

• andI meaneverything.
  I canenjoyit andstop
  beforeI getthatdreadful
  stuffedfeeling.It’slike
  somethingis differentin
  mybrain.I neverbingelikeI usedto,evenwhen
  I getstressed.I feelthatevenif therearetough
  timesaheadI’mresilientand confident that I won’t
  gobacktooldhabits.
  I reallythinkI’vecrackeda sustainableapproach
  tohealthyeating.Theweightis droppingoff
  me(I’mnow9st13lb)andI’mreallypleasedwith
  thewayI look.Butevenif I getonthescales
  tomorrowandI’veputona fewpounds – well, it’s
  not a big deal. I really do feel free.

CASE STUDY

❛Iwantedmorethan

a quickfix.I wanted

toworkoutwhatthe

deep-seatedissues

with my eating were❜