Success Stories - Health Improvements

Michelle initially signed up to Live Well Suffolk's programme because she needed to lose weight in order to conceive. She was also keen on the social element of the classes and wanted to make some friends who were in the same situation as she was.

Michelle has already lost half a stone on the programme and is really enjoying doing more physical exercise including zumba, spinning and running.

Michelle has grown in confidence so much that she has also started doing courses in maths and English and is hoping to get back into employment.

She said: “I think Live Well should be available for everyone all over the country. We're really lucky here in Suffolk. I'd love to be able to do more of the exercise and the cook and eat classes, I've learned so much and made some lovely friends who I now socialise with. I've gone through a bad time recently but coming to Live Well Suffolk has really helped me get back on track.”

In the new year Michelle is planning on signing up to try yoga, which is something she's always wanted to do but has never had the confidence to. She added: “Before I came here and met the other ladies I didn't have the confidence to go swimming and now I do, so I've proved I can overcome my insecurities! Next up is yoga!”

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Zena contacted Live Well Suffolk primarily because she wanted to lose weight, but also because she was also keen to find out more about how to incorporate healthy foods into her family's diet.

Zena initially attended all sessions with her mum due to her anxiety issues and her regular panic attacks. However, thanks to the programme, Zena has made friends, she now has a social life with some of the other ladies from her weekly cook and eat sessions and she goes swimming regularly.

Zena meets with a community health coach once per week, she also attends a weekly cook and eat session and has signed up for a weight management programme.

She said: “Growing up I only ever had vegetables once a week which was on a Sunday, so I wanted to find out some clever ways of including vegetables all through the week. I've really enjoyed the cook and eat sessions and I've been cooking the recipes at home that we've been making in class. I've even been taught ways of including my children into the cooking process!”

Zena has started to lose weight, gain in confidence and is able to do exercise that she wasn't able to before.

She added: “I thought eating healthier foods was more expensive, but it's not when you know what you are looking for and when you plan ahead. I've learned that living a healthier life is all about making small changes rather than big ones. Joining Live Well Suffolk is one of the best things I've ever done in my life and I've been telling all of my family and friends about it. I love that nobody judges you, the team are so lovely and helpful and they make sure you get individual attention. I'd recommend that everyone signs up for it!”

Dawn's children were accessing Live Well Suffolk's child weight management programme and she decided she also wanted to get fit and lose some weight.

She wasn't doing anything active before so she sought the help of one of Live Well Suffolk's Community Health Coaches. She joined a free group Zumba programme and used this as a platform to make some other changes – for example she is now walking to work.

She particularly valued the healthy eating advice she has received: “I have really learnt something,” Dawn said: “Now I fully understand what changes I need to make and why I need to make them. Richard, my community health coach's motivation, is fantastic... if only you could bottle his motivation!”

Maria's life has completely changed since accessing Live Well Suffolk's Community Health Coach service. Maria said “I had got in a rut. I wasn't doing anything active and I was drinking fairly heavily. It has been an inspiration, I've tried things before but didn't keep it up. This time it's stuck, my shopping takes longer as I've been looking at all the labels, I've gone from drinking heavily to hardly at all, I'm more active and more alert.”

Yvonne's children were accessing a child weight management course when she heard about Live Well Suffolk's programmes. She has MS and wanted to get more active and lose some weight. She went to a taster session and enjoyed it and then signed up to a programme with a Community Health Coach. On finishing the programme she intends to look for a permanent Zumba course to keep her active on an ongoing basis.