Weight loss: Where has Shaun’s Story Taken Him?

“All of this is definitely something I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d be doing three years ago.”

For Shaun Hughes, contacting Onhealth was the start of a life-changing journey. It would transform his health, his wellbeing, and his day-to-day life.

We featured his phenomenal weight loss midway through his programme with Onhealth. Three years later, how has the course impacted his life long-term?

Catching up with Shaun with a Q+A, we discovered a new-found love of running, the need to be accountable for what you eat, and keeping up with his son is now an issue of the past.

 

How much weight have you lost since starting the Onhealth programme?

When I started the Onhealth programme back in January 2019 I weighed 28 stone. This was the most I’d ever weighed, and it really did seem like there was no end in sight.

Thankfully, the Onhealth weight management programme came along just at the right time. Over the last three years, since I started, I’ve lost 13 stone and now weight just 15 stone!

 

A phenomenal achievement. How did you manage to lose that weight?

I learned a lot about myself with the Onhealth programme, about portion control and ideal targets for both weight and food intake.

This, combined with regular exercise, led me to lose the weight over the past few years. Even when the first lockdown hit in March 2020, I continued with what I learned at home by doing regular little workouts. I didn’t have much exercise equipment at the time, but most of the exercises we had been doing in the classes didn’t require equipment, so it was easy to replicate these in the living room or the back garden. During this time I slowly got into jogging; very short distances at first until I built up going further and increasing my stamina.

All of this, together with eating right and being mindful of intake, helped me to lose the weight.

 

What have you done to maintain that weight loss after the course has finished?

Being mindful of what I’m eating and making sure I do a regular amount of exercise helps maintain the weight loss.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve got into running and jogging on a regular basis. It started off with small, short runs but after a while it built up more and more. I’ve participated in a good number of runs last year and this year, including the Great North Run which I’m doing again this year.

 

What habits/behavioural changes have you maintained?

Over time the lessons learned from the programme have evolved into a lifestyle. Initially it was about learning what I should be eating, the portion sizes, and making sure I exercised regularly. These days these are all elements that just happen naturally. I tend to prepare or plan meals over the week and am aware of when social events are so I can plan accordingly.

I tend to get myself out daily for little walks to keep myself moving on the days when I’m less active too. I’m mindful that even a little bit of daily movement is better than none at all, and it’s a good mindset to have as you feel a lot better for it.

The biggest takeaways are the mindsets that are instilled from being on the Onhealth programme, initially the changes are alien to you but once you notice the little changes and you start hitting the little goals, it becomes easier and easier until the healthier lifestyle becomes the norm and the old habits become the alien mindset.

 

Is moderation an important part of your new mindset, as opposed to strictly cutting things out?

Absolutely. I couldn’t agree with this more. For me, looking at things these days, I’d say nothing is off the menu. I still enjoy pizza, ice cream, etc, eating out is absolutely fine.

Again, it’s all about the mindset and realising that there shouldn’t be guilt over enjoying yourself and eating what you feel like BUT, at the same time, you have to remember that you’re accountable for what you eat too.

That sounds harsh but it’s quite simple; moderation is the word. I can still enjoy a takeaway, but it’s being mindful that it’s not something you should do every day.

 

What can you now do that perhaps wasn’t an option before the weight loss?

When I first started out, the catalyst was my son and trying to keep up with him. When I was 28 stone, it was difficult to be active due to being so heavy. These days I can do so much more. Exercise is a lot easier and being physically strong and capable is brilliant. Even from a day-to-day point of view, I can do so much more and certainly keep up with my son!

I run and jog on a regular basis these days, I tend to run five to six miles each time I go out as a baseline; something I never thought I’d be doing. I’ve entered myself into multiple runs over the past couple of years like the Sunderland 10k, Great North 10k, the Sunshine Run, the Blackpool Music Run, and, of course, the Great North Run. I’m doing it again this year and looking forward to it being back on the original course too!

All of this is definitely something I wouldn’t have ever thought I’d be doing three years ago.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Participating in the Onhealth weight management programme was one of the best decisions I’ve made. The benefits, the change of lifestyle, and the mindset have been fantastic and I’ll continue to take away from the programme as I look to maintain that lifestyle going forward.

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