Published on: 9th August 2021
A local mum feels fitter and healthier thanks to support from Be Well Tameside, and is encouraging others to follow her success.
Aimee Nyantore, a refugee from the Congo who now lives in Ashton, has lost three stone (21kg) during the pandemic by eating more healthily and getting active.
She now weighs 89.1kg (14 stone) thanks to eating smaller portion sizes, having regular mealtimes and walking daily.
Aimee said: “I have no long-term health conditions but I do struggle mentally with the British weather and did during lockdown last year.
“Last October, I was referred to Be Well Tameside and Live Active to seek help to lose weight. I weighed 110kg at the time and I now weight 89.1kg.”
Finding herself eating more during lockdown, she added: “I eat more when I’m stressed and this could have been a contributory factor to gaining weight during lockdown.
“Getting the support from Naila Sharif (health and wellbeing advisor at Be Well Tameside), who explained things over the phone, made a big difference to my lifestyle.
“I now eat at regular mealtimes – breakfast at 9am, lunch at 1pm, fruit snack at 3pm and dinner at 6pm. I also eat smaller meal portion sizes, drink more milk – semi-skimmed – and only have a small amount of milk in my tea.
“I also do a lot more walking during the week taking my children to school, going in to Ashton. I also get out walking around my local area at weekends.
“Before contacting Be Well I didn’t have breakfast as I was too busy seeing to my children.”
Aimee’s target weight is 75kg and she is still getting support from Be Well Tameside to help her achieve that. She now wants other people to seek help with their weight if they are concerned it is having an effect on their lifestyle.
In Tameside, 71% of adults are now classed as overweight or obese, compared to 62% in England as a whole.
If you live or work in Tameside, you can get support from Be Well Tameside by contacting them on 0161 716 2000 or bewelltameside@nhs.net.
If you live elsewhere, your GP can recommend local services to help, or you can also visit nhs.uk/betterhealth for more info.