Niamh O’Donnell of Motivation Weight Management Letterkenny. Niamh has joined the Donegal News team with her column Niamh’s Nutrition Mission.
NUTRITION expert Niamh O’Donnell, of Motivation Weight Management, Letterkenny, has joined the Donegal News team as a columnist and she is embarking on her mission to keep us all healthy and inspired throughout the summer.
In her debut column, Niamh talks with Elaine’s Yourell about her incredible journey:
Elaine Yourell began her journey with us at Motivation Letterkenny in March 2016, losing an astonishing four stone within seven months. A life-long battle with weight had Elaine feeling constantly self-conscious, demotivated and frustrated at her inability to lose the weight and more importantly keep it off.
“I always believed that losing weight was the solution, but it always crept back on. I knew turning 50 I had to take further action or this was a battle I would never overcome. To think back on what was said to me at 10 years old by a health professional who referred to me using the dreaded three letter word ‘fat’. For years I subconsciously carried that around with me, but I am delighted to say it’s something I feel I’ve now overcome,” Elaine said.
Elaine admitted that she was at a stage where she thought “What’s the point anymore? I will always struggle while everyone else seems to eat what they want and still be slim.”
Elaine Yourell before taking on her weight loss programme.
Luckily for Elaine, she had great support from her husband Bernard who really encouraged her to go for it. Although Elaine was prospering in all other areas of life, her ‘weighty issue’ was always at the back of her mind.
“The Motivation Weight Management programme enabled me, for the first time, to understand my attitudes towards food and why I turned to food. The team in Letterkenny helped me identify, and more importantly, understand my poor habits and triggers that were leading to my weight gain. I found the one to one support invaluable each week.”
However, Elaine admitted to still having that feeling of apprehensiveness.
“What is different when I lose the weight this time around? How am I going to sustain this wonderful feeling of positivity and motivation? The key was, it became habitual, it became a way of life/second nature and something that certainly didn’t feel forced. I feel like the bad habits are gone for good. To me this programme was about a change of lifestyle, not just another diet.
And Elaine today, healthier and happier.
“Of course, I had to work at it, don’t get me wrong, but with consistency and determination, I felt myself changing for the better as the months progressed. Here I am, still four stone lighter two years on and most importantly I have managed to stay off all sweet things.”
Over the last number of months Elaine has completed two 5Ks and says that’s just the beginning.
Congratulations Elaine on your huge success, may your journey continue to be successful. I’m sure your story will inspire many others!
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