This is a course run by the Wirral Area Health authority and Healthlinks Healthlinks is no more and the course is now part of Wirral PCT. edited 03 Jul 08
If you’ve been offered this course by your GP or Practice Nurse it means you’ve met the entry criteria for it, basically BMI above 25 and one of a number of conditions that can go with it namely high blood pressure, diabetes and other complications.
In my case a routine medical at work detected that I had high blood pressure so I was packed off to the doctors with a note. I ended up having high blood pressure and was prescribed beta blockers.
I was 132Kg, a flight of stairs would have me trying to control my breathing, my knees hurt and now I had high blood pressure to boot. I was in a pretty bad shape.
I turned down the offer of the course from the practice nurse thinking that taking up cycling and modifying my diet a bit would be enough. I was wrong.
In a year I’d managed to loose about 10kg, but was stuck around 122Kg, it was back to the practice nurse for another blood test. I was offered the Lifestyle and weight management course again. This time I said yes.
If you’ve been offered the course and have turned it down it is time to think again, you’ve just turned down the opportunity to drastically change your life for the better.
It has literally transformed my life, I’ve lost another 17 Kg in fourteen weeks have probably never ever felt fitter and the knee joint problems seem to have gone.
Thank you Weight Management and Lifestyle Service .
The plan:
http://www.bhf.org.uk/
this is a link to booklet that I am using
http://www.bhf.org.uk/publications/view_publication.aspx?ps=1000161
I’ve now completed the 12 months that the course runs. After the weekly classroom sessions have finished there are 9 monthly followup classes. I’d say it was just as important to attend the followup classes as it was to attend the weekly classes. The most dramatic gains are to be made after the classroom sessions have finished.
The weightloss diary says it all, and I’m sticking to the eating plan above. I did literally want to loose weight for good. I’ve a before picture of me and a lot of people have trouble recognising me, there is a marked difference and I’m only now coming to terms with it.
Now for the bit that saddens me. Out of the 25 that started the class I was the only one that completed the 12 months. About half had dropped out by the end of the classroom sessions. Over half that finished the 12 weeks had achieved the 5% weightloss goal that they had signed up for at the start.
Two years on the links to this course need amending at it is now part of Wirral Primary Care Trust.
December 08 Nothing much has changed I’m still following the BHF plan it works for me and has become part of my life. I’m nearing 50 and in the best shape I’ve ever been. Explored a few limits that I would not thought possible. Looking for some new goals for 2009 one of which is theTour De France.
Jan 09 Things have changed with the course but it has become more result focused. Cut back to 8 weeks with the 12th week now the first followup class. The first month on your own is a lonely time and looking at it from my point of view I’d be surprised if results improved. It’s ok for a bunch of NHS managers to want a result but your dealing with a bunch of people who are nearly beyond help. It’ll be interesting to see how many turn up for their first followup.
Frank Kinlan's Blog 
Hi Frank – just to say thanks for the endorsement of the service. you may want to just amend the wording re who provides the service to something like – The LWM service is a free NHS weight management programme that can be accessed following a health check with your GP or practice nurse. It is funded by Wirral PCT. A referral criteria does apply so may not be suitable for everyone. Kind Regards Alison
Hi Frank
I completed the Chrik ride on Sunday and whilst trying to find any reports/photographs I came across your site via Google.
I’m looking forward to hearing your views and seeing any photo’s you may have taken. In my opinion it was one hell of a ride. I mean quite literally, a ride from hell!
I enjoyed reading about the other rides you have completed.
As someone who constantly battles with weight (I have lost over 2 stones with the help of cycling) I’m intrigued by your references to the ‘Lifestyle & Weight Management Course’. I couldn’t find any info on your site and I can’t trace the info from the links. I would be interested to learn more.
Best regards
Mark
Thanks for the comment Mark. I agree it was one hell of a ride, but we made it. I’m still writing up the ride as it was an epic and a fitting end to my year on the diet.
The Lifestyle and weight Management course is a NHS course run by Wirral Area Health Authority. You can only get on it if you meet the criteria. Your GP or practise nurse suggests it to you. My criteria were morbid obesity and hypertension (high blood pressure).
I easily qualified for it.
It is 12 weekly, 2 hour classroom lessons and you should also be doing 30 minutes of exercise a day. The British Heart Foundation diet is essentially a low fat balanced diet. The links above should work. The course has been an overwhelming success for me.6 stone in a year can and was acheived by me and I’ve had the time of my life doing it. All the weights are figures off my medical record as I need to establish some integrity about what I post.
The intention is to do one Audax a month you can’t miss me I ride a Trek Madone, “The Toy”.Wear Discovery Channel kit and look like I’m living the dream.
Regards,
Frank.
Frank
Just to let you know I am still alive.
Your site is looking better with all the new pictures.
I have just been to Lidl for a Saddle bag and bike computer
Keep up the good work
Best regards
Dave
Hi Frank, your site is utterly inspirational, what a change you’ve made. I was in a similiar dilemma weight-wise in February of this year (18st 11lbs on 19/2/07) but am making steady progress and have lost as near as damnit 4 stones through a combination of Slimming World’s food optimising, cycling, golf and a zero alcohol regime (only the last one was hard!!). Would you mind if I linked to your website from my blog – more people should see it!
Many thanks
Paul
Paul,thats really good going. I don’t need to tell you how much better you will be feeling. I like your blog, it shows there is more than one out there that logs everything they are doing.
Ignore the comments from work colleages about loosing too much and stopping, I had them and think it is insecurity on their part.
No problem with the link, the more the better, I’ve been doing the blog for a year now and the site has changed out of all recognition to what I had in mind.
Keep up the good work and treat yourself to that good bike you deserve it.
Regards,
Frank
Thanks for your support Frank, I’ve added your site to my blog, have put a comment that you’re following a similiar path to my own which I think is true – the Slimming World plan is very similiar in principles to the BHF recommendations especially if you look at that pie chart that has the tiny slice for sugar and sweets, small slice for dairy products, bigger slices for starches etc. It’s funny you’ve mentioned colleagues telling me to stop – everyone says you don’t want to lose anymore – however I’ve got to get down to 13st 12lbs to get to BMI of 25 so I know they’re not right. Thanks again and good luck on your quest – looks like you’ve got it cracked!
Paul
Hi Frank
Yes you were going well this year
saw you pass me on the first climb .that was the 1:4 up to the miltir gerrigs– didnt finish as my poor mate crashed coming down to the a495 cross roads- fascinated by your change in fitness and wondered if you have any encouraging points? just tipping scales at 17 stone dead!
Tim, all I can say is that I’ve got the diet under control. The exercise is mixture of rides, the gym and spinning classes. A lot of it is Aerobic and is probably down to the fact that I realised I wasn’t going to die by getting out of breath.
One other thing was the fact that the more I did the more I could do. Coupled with the weight loss it formed what I call a Virtuous Circle.
If anyone wants to know what is like carrying extra weight go into BandQ and pick up a bag of cement or plaster. They are 25 Kg and heavy to carry. Now imagine you’ve got one under each arm, well thats what I was carrying, no wonder a flight of stairs would see me off.
All I can really say Tim is have a good look at your diet, it’s far easier to modify your eating and reduce portion sizes than it is to burn it off in the gym or cycling.
Regards,
Frank.
thanks Frank
Will have to focus on diet area but i am in a sedentary job(office) and sitting at a desk all day is the only trouble. On the 4th floor though so you can see where that will lead!
I do get chance to spin the legs at the weekend but you are right about portion sizes as this is easy to get carried away with. Will have to chuck those large plates out maybe a greek wedding?
I am up for the Eureka 78 mile ride in a couple of weeks so will see if we can slowly bring the weight down for this.
Cheers again
Tim
Frank really inspired by your journey to lose weight and get fit. I have come down from 18st 9lbs to 17st 4lb in just over six weeks by a combination of diet and training (cycling and gym work) and boy do I feel better for it. One thing I do struggle is getting cycling gear to fit. So if your are looking to sell on any of your cycling togs that are now too big give me a call.I get down to the Mills every Sunday and have recently joined BNECC. I really look forward to my Sunday long ride aswell as the weekly turbo sessions.
regards
Barry
Barry I’ve got a lot of last years Aldi Winter Cycling stuff still with the labels on. I’ll try and catch you at the Eureka some time.
Frank, I’m glad I found your site. I’ve been a cyclist all my life but I have gone through 4 stages: thin/fat/thin/fat. This last stage has lasted over 15 years and I’m hoping to make it to stage 5. We’re about the same age and I’ve got about the same amount of weight to lose, so it’s really good to see that it CAN BE DONE. I’m tired of being a “surprisingly good rider given my weight”, and I’m no longer able to count on youth to keep me out of trouble health-wise. Thanks for putting the breadcrumbs along the trail I hope to follow. If you happen upon this, maybe you could add a few words to elaborate on your mention of the “magic hour” elsewhere on the site. Thanks again!
J.A thanks for the comment. The magic hour is the hour after intense exercise when your body is still burning calories. Ray mentioned it on the Audax last Sunday. Your body is looking to replace glycogen that you burn during the ride and also protein to repair muscle. That is what I’ve been told.
My pace used to be in the fat burning zone which is a pace where most of us could spend all day at.
If your already cycling like I was the diet is the key change you have to make. I took to the BHF one like a duck to water. The thing is once your seeing steady progress it re-enforces what you are doing. Good luck, steady progress is the key.
Regards,
Frank.
Hi Frank,
Thanks for the comment on my blog @ http://the22stonecyclist.wordpress.com/
It’s reassuring and confidence building to know someone else has already been where I am and come out the other end a success.
Based on the quick glance I have given it (it’s boxing day and we’re being all festive), it looks extremely informative and helpful.
I’ve linked your website from the “Thanks and Respect” section at the bottom of my blog.
Hope you are having a good Christmas,
James Ashberry
http://the22stonecyclist.wordpress.com/
Hi James, I’ll put a link into you’re blog tommorrow after a decent (I hope) ride. I live on comments so was surprised you didn’t have any. As do a lot of blogs.
If your backsides hurting use Sudocrem. Find out what your max is, I’ve got mine as 184 bpm but have seen 194 bpm. Once you know what your max is you know what level you can operate at and for how long.
My Ti MTB from 1990 is back in the loft as I’m now a roadie.
Once you’ve seen a result or two you’ll need to aim higher. Aim for your first hundred this year. 8 hours at 12 mph is not out of anyones reach.
At this neck of the woods the charity ride is Liverpool-Chester-Liverpool (55 miles) Once you get to a certain level it is not a challenge anymore despite the charity aspect.
By the time of your ride you will be well up for it but aim to better it based on your lower weight.
Regards,
Frank.
I’ve just read your story on the BBC News website. A fantastic achievement and an inspiration to others. With so much rubbish talked about weight loss its great to see an example of a sensible and effective combination of exercise and calorie control.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7953197.stm
Thanks Lukas, It’s not rocket science and not a fad diet which means it is sustainable.
Regards,
Frank.
where should you start with diet?
T, sorry about the reply I thought you were winding me up.
You need to start looking at a diet that is sustainable. I am on the BHF healthy eating plan. It involves counting portions of the five food groups.
It is designed to make you loose weight gradually along with improving your health with exercise. In my case lots of cycling.
Download the link above, it is how I started.
Interesting article. Were did you got all the information from… 🙂
What do you need to know Belinda, I ride my Trek because it’s a great bike. The Lifestyle and Weight Management Course is run by my local Primary Care Trust (NHS)
Wow
I cannot believe this, your site is almost exactly my story too.
I came across your site as I purchased a 705 looking for more info on the unit.
I never took time to read the rest of the site until last night.
I too am on a 2 year weight management program that started in my work with a health check, I was 16st 6ib, and needed to do something about a year ago my work had a health check for the over 45`s, and I went along, I had already done a 6 week course, via the community nurse, and the NHS, but had moderate success, so I was referred to a 2 year course.
In my case a knee injury has held me back for some time, but in the last few months things have picked up, and with a little help and a big mileage increase in my cycling
I would appear to be losing weight again (down about a stone)
I had never monitored my progress before, but fancied the edge 705, as I have a working knowledge of Garmin GPS units. (Etrex)
Its early days for myself, but well done on your weight loss, I find the older I get the harder it is to lose weight, in my case its portion size, that’s the problem, and too many biscuits.
Good luck, and thanks for such an informative site
Donald
Thanks Donald, it’s getting harder to keep it off. It’s getting to be a big site now with lots of interest in the Garmin side of it but still steady interest in in the weightloss side of things.
Regards,
Frank.
Can you give a few directions on how to fix the 705 up as i get stuck trying to put in directions. The satelite signal seems always slow as well
Peter, check out some of the comments on the 705 section and get back to me.
Thanks for these links, they look like they are going to be really helpful. I’ve been looking out for a way to lose weight without calorie counting so this is great. And well done for what you have achieved – fantastic!
Fantastic blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little
lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform
like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out
there that I’m completely overwhelmed .. Any suggestions? Appreciate it!
Hello frank, I read your statement at the top of this page,i have been told to give ;lifestyle and weight management I ring by my doctor I was not sure about it, but after reading what you have said then I will give them a phone tomorrow but is it really that good…..john
John,it can be it depends on how committed you are.
Take a look at the date,things are shorter now as they have targets to meet but the message is the same.
Download the BHF booklet it will be the same as on the course.
You stand a better chance of succeeding as you want to do it. Most don’t want to be there so make no effort.
Bear in mind that what your trying to do is for the rest of your life.
I’ve fallen by the wayside so to speak but have a new goal this year and I’m determined to hit it.
Regards,
Frank.