After previously attending a Fit Reds course nearly 8 years ago where I lost a stone and a half life and age had sort of caught up with me, whilst I remained active and typically always exercise daily whether a brisk walk, circuit classes at Oakwell run by RITC or by being a regular at Fit Reds Vets sessions on a Thursday I had struggled with maintaining weight, I could blame issues with chronic back pain and lockdowns but ultimately I know these would be excuses.

In the last 18months I have been struggling with my health and whilst the GP nor the Cardiologist said it was connected to being overweight we all know carrying excess weight has only negative impacts. When I learned the next course was due to start sort of spur of the moment I thought brilliant it’s a Thursday at Oakwell I can attend the course and still jump on the Vets game after.

On the first session I was impressed by the number of people that had enrolled, I set myself a target of maybe losing a stone but had somewhat of a shock at the weigh in so I readjusted my target to a stone and a half.

Whilst I have done the course previously the topics covered refreshed what I knew about health and lifestyle and in some cases added some knowledge as science is ever changing, the introduction of CPR and testicular and prostrate cancer( prostrate was discussed before but this hit home given I’m now post 50 so in the age range where this is prevalent), and subjects around mental health were really engaging and all the guys participated in the discussions.

One thing that I knew from doing the course before that populating a daily food diary really focussed intake, I didn’t count calories as such but I focussed on the types of foods and where the good fats were, yes I made some sacrifices but in reality it wasn’t that much of a struggle in that I wasn’t permanently starving it was more around always ensuring I had lots of fruit, veg and nuts to snack on rather that crisps and biscuits. I would say I cut down on drinking but still had some social events where I had more units but didn’t drink through the week and occasionally would drink gin or vodka with slimline tonic as Sean would emphasise these “marginal gains” are what makes a massive difference.

I would say much as when I did the course previously I have made friends for life, it’s so much more than losing weight the social side is very important.
The encouragement from Sean, Phil, Jason and the guys from the Recovery college was outstanding.

Fit Reds has given me so much over the last 8 years and it really is one big family, one of our former Vets, RIP Phil Shore,always used to say “once a fit red, always a fit red” that analogy is perfect.