I had no idea just how overweight I was and no one except my husband ever mentioned it. I just thought he was being unkind, as he was overweight himself and wasnt doing anything about it.

After my second covid vaccination, during the 15 mins we sat to make sure we were ok, I wasnt ok, and ended up going in to hospital for a few hours. My blood pressure had gone up a lot.

I got home after getting a bit of a fright, and the next week or two, I took my own blood pressure, and got it taken at the health centre. It had gone down, but not fully. It was only dangerous my doctor said, if it was that high long term. since then, we looked and I had not had it taken for at least 5 years so we have no idea if it had slowly crept up or not before the reaction made it spike. I researched foods that would help me and harm me, and got some tablets to lower it. Then I decided to go and loose some weight with Kathryn at our local one to one cambridge diet. We started me on step 2 and I found it very very hard, but I got from 13 stone 7 lb to 10 stone 13 and a half from may 21 to the present time. By week three, my husband had joined me, and he was loosing much faster and easier than I was! Most people would, like me think that I wasnt particularly over weight, at 13.7, but my BMI was showing that I was obese.

It quicly became clear that if I ate any carbs, it was going straight back on again, so it was not a diet any more, but a life change. I changed from rice to cauliflower rice, which is much tastier than real rice. I dont eat pasta, and only now and again eat bread or cakes. My chocolate now has no sugar in, and alchohol is not consumed every week! I find it a real struggle, but I now enjoy the feel of the new me, and I can even cut my own toenails now which I am really excited about.

There is a lot less weight between my husband Archie and I now, as he lost 3 stone as well.  I started forcing myself to go out for walks most days whatever the weather. I must admit there are some days I dont manage it though. 

when my babies were born, a long time ago, John was 6 pounds 6 oz , Iain was 7.10 and Jennifer was 7.12.  So I had managed after a few months to loose the same weight that they had been when they were born!

When I go for my walks, I have been finding side roads and tracks in uist that I parked my car on, and then just walked as much as I can. That was hard for me, as I do have long term pain and health issues, and I'm sure I wont always manage it as some days I find it hard to move, especially when its cold. So knowing that I may only manage it for this season, I took lots of photos with my phone camera, and shared them on facebook and instagram, so that other people may enjoy them too, as well as me in the future. This spurred me on the creating more art again, which in turn, really helps me to feel mentally more healthy. Making my jewllery when I get home from my care work and my walks, is very theraputic, and this has fed into my creative side, and also has made me feel better. making candles has also helped, as pouring wax, is again, very theraputic and the smells are very pleasing and have a feel good factor.

Having something to do to keep myself occupied really helps me when its stormy. I light my candles, put on a good film and make Jewellery or paint.

If I didnt have these creative things to do, my mental health would be suffering, and I'm quite excited that I have achieved so much.

If any of you need a chat about any of these issues, please get in contact. I can help you to start being creative, even if you cant get outside, and dont share my privilege of living it such a beautiful island.