I’m 55 now, and I can honestly say that if I hadn’t joined Slimming World, I probably wouldn’t have lived to see 60.
Before I joined, I could barely walk. I couldn’t move without feeling exhausted. Even though I’ve always had physical jobs – I was a groundsman, and now I’m a window cleaner – and I told myself I was fit ‘for a big bloke’, the reality was very different. As I got older, it became harder and harder to work the weight off. I was tired all the time.
The real turning point came when I was in hospital for more than two weeks with a serious leg infection. The doctors drew a pen line around the infection and told me it couldn’t spread past that mark. They said if the antibiotics didn’t work within 48 hours, they’d have to amputate my leg.
They ended up putting in a PICC line (a tube inserted near my heart) to make the antibiotics work quicker. It was terrifying. The doctor looked me straight in the eye and said: ‘You HAVE to lose weight.’ Not ‘You should’. Not ‘It’d be a good idea’. You have to.
I’d tried losing weight before. I bought a running machine and stuck it in the shed. For a few months, I threw myself into it and lost three or four stones quickly. But I couldn’t maintain it. I tried weight loss pills I’d bought online, but they didn’t work long term either.
If I’m honest, my eating was out of control. At around 3pm every day I’d eat six packets of crisps back-to-back, then five or six chocolate bars straight after. My wife, Belinda, would cook a healthy meal in the evening, but once everyone had settled down afterwards I’d be back in the kitchen, stealing food in my own home. It was like I couldn’t stop myself.
I was drinking heavily, too. I’d go to watch Ipswich Town play on a Saturday and put away 10 or 11 pints without thinking twice.
Sleeping was the worst part. It was terrifying. I’d wake up six or seven times in the night not breathing, gasping for air. I’d have to stick my head out of the window just to breathe. Belinda was so worried, and convinced I had sleep apnoea – she said it was like my windpipe was closing up. Sometimes I’d have to sit upright in a chair for a few hours in the middle of the night to recover. I snored dreadfully, too.
I was too scared to go to the doctors, though. I knew they’d say, ‘You need to lose weight’, so I avoided it. It became a vicious cycle – I’d wake up exhausted and then eat for comfort. Once, I was so tired that I started drifting off at work and smacked my face on the digger. Yet I still didn’t get it checked out.
Belinda and I have been together for 35 years and we have three adult children – Sian, Matthew and Bethany – and three grandsons aged eight, five and just seven months. Watching her and the kids, I realised I didn’t just want to lose weight – I wanted to be there for them for as long as I possibly could.
Slimming World was my last resort – and it saved my life
Belinda had been a member in the past and successfully lost 4st (25.4kg), so I knew joining a group was the right decision. I was terrified, though, and when I first got there, I nearly turned round and walked back out the door. But Shani, the Consultant, clocked me straight away. She was brilliant and made me feel welcome, which gave me confidence.
Food Optimising completely changed my mindset. I realised that losing weight isn’t about burning calories, it’s about what you eat – and how satisfying it is. I stay to group every week because I learn so much about food, and the Slimming World support system makes all the difference.
Belinda and I plan our dinners together using the member app. Our favourites include chicken risotto, pasta dishes, curries and Slimming World food range meals. In the evenings, I’ve swapped unhealthy snacks for Hi-fi bars, low-fat yogurts and fruit.
My new chapter
I feel like a 20-year-old again these days! Before, I was lucky if I managed to walk one mile, and now I walk up to 10 miles a day with my dog. I sleep through the night, too – no more gasping for air or sitting in the dark feeling terrified. I wake up properly rested.
Recently, we went on an all-inclusive long weekend, and for the first time ever, I naturally stayed on plan. I didn’t feel deprived or as though I was missing out. That’s when I knew this really was my new normal.
At 55, I’ve been given a second chance. I’m not just lighter – I’m alive, awake and present. And I fully intend to be here, watching my grandchildren grow up, for many, many years to come.
Graham’s story reflects Slimming World research into how sleep and weight are closely linked. Our ‘Snooze more to lose more’ survey polled more than 3,000 members about different aspects of their sleep over the course of a week. The study revealed that nearly half of those who lost 15% or more of their body weight reported better sleep. It also found that the more weight Slimming World members lost, the more likely they were to report improvements in their sleep. Find out more here.
Weight loss will vary according to your individual circumstances and how much weight you have to lose.