Podcast: Beyond Weight Loss: Geraldine's Story of Sustainable Wellness

Introduction to Podcast

Feeling stuck in your health journey? You're not alone.

 In this inspiring episode of Fit and Fabulous, Dr. Orlena sits down with Geraldine, a 56-year-old mom who turned her life around after feeling lost and overwhelmed. 

From battling self-doubt to rediscovering her love for healthy eating, Geraldine's story is a testament to the power of small, sustainable changes. 

Tune in to hear how she lost half a stone, reignited her passion for cooking, and found a new lease on life. Whether you're struggling with perimenopause, weight gain, or simply feeling stuck, this episode offers hope and practical tips for your own transformation. 

Don't miss this heartwarming conversation that proves it's never too late to prioritize your health and happiness.

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Transcription of Podcast

Dr Orlena: Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to Fit and Fabulous with me, Dr. Orlena. Today we have an exciting guest, Geraldine. Welcome, welcome. Hello, hello. Is this your first time being on a podcast?

Dr Orlena: Yes, it is. Can you tell?

Dr Orlena: No, I can't tell. Just think about it as having a chat. It's just a conversation that we happen to have recorded.

Dr Orlena: And we're just going to keep it nice and informal. Yeah. Do you want to start just by telling a little bit about yourself and introducing yourself?

Geraldine: Yes. I'm 56. I'm a mum of three and I'm keen on healthy eating, but definitely lost my way with exercise and healthy eating post COVID in particular. I was very good up until COVID and then I sort of lost the plot a little bit and piled on weight and perimenopausal and just got really muddled and lost my way.

Geraldine: And then through social media, I discovered you, Orlena, which was really enlightening and really helpful.

Dr Orlena: Hooray. Thank goodness for social media. Today we're going to talk a little bit about your transformation and how things have changed for you. And the idea behind this really is to inspire other people because I think so many people are in that situation where, as you describe, you just feel like you've lost your way.

Dr Orlena: It just feels like there's so many things. If we go back to that place, can you describe a little bit about like what you felt and what you were struggling with? What were your main struggles?

Geraldine: I think if I'm really honest, my main struggle is myself and self, self doubt and I know that prior to that self doubt, I was working out, I was enjoying the gym.

Geraldine: I had been on eating plans that weren't very sustainable, but what? That didn't sort of tend to bother me so much because I was enjoying, you know, like you say, lighting up, exercise that makes you light up. So I knew I could do it, but it was me, I was just talking myself out of it. And I really did feel like I was in a slump and a bit insignificant.

Geraldine: And it wasn't that I was feeling sorry for myself, I was just, I just felt completely muddled. and unsure. I'd lost my, my confidence completely, I think, rather than feeling sorry for myself.

Dr Orlena: Right, got it. And when you say you had previously tried meal plans that were not sustainable, what do you mean by not sustainable?

Dr Orlena: Like they were depriving you or difficult to create? What did that look like? Yeah,

Geraldine: so I think, clearly in the groups that I was in, that it works. You can see results with other people. But for me, it was, It just didn't click. I would lose a certain amount of weight and I'd do the, the, you know, the live sessions, but I wouldn't, as soon as I finished it, it wouldn't, the weight would just pile back on again because I wasn't in a group environment in a supportive environment and, you know, cost factors in it.

Geraldine: I don't think it's the program's fault. I think it, it just, for me, I needed to be constantly on it to, to break that. negative cycle and other things play into your life. Don't they work stress, family stress, et cetera. And I think part of me just giving up a little bit, to be honest.

Dr Orlena: Oh.

Geraldine: Yeah.

Dr Orlena: I'm sorry to hear you felt like that, but you're definitely not the first person I've met who kind of felt, you know what, I feel like this is it for me.

Dr Orlena: There's no, there is no more weight loss or being healthy. Yeah. I just. I've got to the end of my, my ability to be able to change until, of course, they meet me and I say, hey, wait a minute, wait a minute. Yeah, we can do this. Which is kind of what I said to you. And then you joined the program, the, what is now called Dr.

Dr Orlena: Orlina Guided Reboot. It wasn't actually called that when you did it, but how did that change things for you?

Geraldine: I just like the Mediterranean style. Love curry. That's one of my favorites, my go to, but actually I'm very aligned with that style of eating and it's so easy. And I think one of the key things for me was connecting with your recipes with the variety and the seasonal links.

Geraldine: And I just really, really enjoyed that. It was so easy to do. And once I started to get a hold on that, then I thought, Oh, I'm going to give a little bit of exercise a go. So that then started to trickle through and I was very conscious that I wouldn't. overload myself, but I definitely wanted to do something that made me feel better about myself.

Geraldine: And I was very surprised how quickly I got back into it. And before I knew it, I was exercising. It was a gradual thing, but three times a week. And then obviously the food was better. And then I started to notice differences, not only in myself, but also in my clothes. And I, and I'm a bit loath to weigh myself, but I did.

Geraldine: And over a period of time, I've, you know, lost more than I thought I would lose in the timescale. Also, the added benefit Sorry, go on.

Dr Orlena: Are you happy to share how much, are you happy to share how much you did lose?

Geraldine: Yeah. So before I weighed myself, I was probably a stone and a half overweight at least, maybe a bit more.

Geraldine: So I've lost at least that half a stone. So I'm now heading up towards a stone of weight loss.

Dr Orlena: Perfect.

Geraldine: Yeah. And it's come off gradually and I think it's very sustainable. I feel more confident, I feel better equipped as well to, to, to work with things through my life and I, I use these recipes for my family to encourage them and you know, that, that's good as well.

Geraldine: So it's very social. The recipes are really social, they, they, they look colourful, they taste delicious, they're easy to do. And that was my starting point. I'm not, I'm vegetarian, I'm not very keen on meat substitutes. So using other sources of protein have been really helpful. And I've been vegan and I've been vegetarian for a very, very long time.

Geraldine: I was vegan over majority of it. And then I started to sort of want to be vegetarian again, and it's so good that I've, I've, I've found a really good link to recipes. Which is your resource. So, and yeah, it's gradual for me and it has, I can look back and it's only August rather, I can look back and think I've made a change this year and I've done it and I've.

Geraldine: Helped myself.

Dr Orlena: Amazing. Amazing. And what I'm hearing you say is number one, you found what worked for you because it sounds like what you were doing before a hundred percent worked for you, which I think is probably why you have some success, but it's not really sustainable. So you found what works for you.

Dr Orlena: And then essentially. You've kept doing it, which is obviously the key to success. Yeah. How, how does it feel to you now that you've lost that, that weight, how do you feel about yourself? How do you feel about losing that weight? Oh,

Geraldine: it's in a way it's not been about the way it's actually, my priority was enjoying food better linking with food and making stuff from scratch.

Geraldine: That has been the connection. That's really interesting. Food was a connection first. Along this

Dr Orlena: journey,

Geraldine: what obstacles did you face? Well, the frustrating bit at first, and I just think every possibly goes through it, you know, you want that, even though I'm talking about weight loss being a secondary sort of benefit, food, connecting with the food is the most important thing.

Geraldine: There was a stage when I just thought, oh, I don't feel Very different, even though I'm eating really well during the day and in my evenings and then all of a sudden the weight came off. So it was, I suppose at first, that was a bit of frustration, but then I had to remind myself when I have lost weight really quickly in the past on other programs, I always pile it back on.

Geraldine: So, reading about it, if you do things gradually, it tends to stay off. So that was really important to me.

Dr Orlena: Yeah, and I think it's different for different people that journey. So some people will lose weight right at the beginning. I guess it kind of depends where their starting point is. So some people lose weight and then just carry on losing weight, but some people there is a delay.

Dr Orlena: I always say to people, actually, The aim of doing the reboot is not actually to lose weight. The aim of doing the reboot is really to help you see that you can do healthy eating and you can enjoy healthy eating, so to reboot your love of healthy eating.

Geraldine: Yeah, and, and very much that's the hitting, hitting the nail on the head for me.

Geraldine: Enjoy healthy eating. Enjoy love, healthy eating, cook things from, it's so simple. Cook things from scratch. Enjoy that process. And I actually now dedicate a Friday or a Saturday to making food for the weeks. So, you know, batch cook, you know, I just enjoy it just so much more. And the one thing that I was very determined to do was You know, I've got so many years left on the planet.

Geraldine: I don't want to feel like I did at the beginning of this shit anymore. I was, that's not me. I'm, I'm way more, I deserve better. That's what I think I'm trying to say. I, I deserve better than that. And that's the only thing you can do is you've got to do it for yourself. And I try and encourage other people as well.

Geraldine: So they'll look at what I'm eating at work and they'll say, gosh, that looks really nice. And, you know, I've passed on recipes and stuff, you know, because it is about, you know, and people start to see that you look differently. It makes it, of course, it's great to get a compliment, but actually when you pass on that information, well, I've, I've, I've been doing this, you know, this is the food I'm eating now.

Geraldine: That's, it's seeing is believing, isn't it?

Dr Orlena: Inspiring people. I think it's the ultimate goal. You know, you start working on yourself and then as you start working on yourself, you start inspiring other people to make changes. And that's when you really know that you've ingrained those changes because other people are noticing them.

Dr Orlena: Yeah,

Geraldine: absolutely. And I'm so determined. It's been a big effort, but a good big effort, and I've taken it really seriously. And I do feel that it took me a long time to find a group, you know, a purpose, a connection. So obviously working with you or being part of what you do has really helped me. But I had to go through lots of deviations to get to that.

Geraldine: And I think that's okay. Just accept, it's frustrating that Those other programs don't do what you need. It is so frustrating because you've given money to that, but hang on in there. You will, you will get, you know, get the right program. And hopefully that will link to this program, for example, you know, it's such a, a really good, strong alignment with.

Geraldine: Your, your future really in a safe, a safe space to be as well.

Dr Orlena: Fabulous. I'm glad you found that. Did you, here's a question, did you ever feel deprived? Or like, it was like about discipline whilst you were going through this process? Not at all.

Geraldine: Not at all. I have done in the past. I've done so many different programs and spent so much money, and I'd probably cry if I sat down and worked out what money I have put into these other programs, but I did not feel at all deprived, and I still don't.

Geraldine: And we have to accept that, you know, after I'm 56, after a certain age, the body is not doing things that it used to do. It's doing different things and it copes in a different way. So accepting that and accepting small changes has been the major thing as well for me. Learning to love decent food again has been the one thing.

Geraldine: The second thing has been learning to accept small changes. And sometimes, you know, maybe I haven't, I don't, I don't weigh myself every week, but my clothes just feel different because I'm exercising more and I'm enjoying it. But I'm not putting myself under loads of pressure as well.

Dr Orlena: Yeah. You know what they say, progress is better than perfection.

Geraldine: Yeah. Yeah. That's a, that's a very good saying. I totally agree with that.

Dr Orlena: Think one thing that I really hear when I'm talking to you is one big change is that you really learn to prioritize your health and wellness. And I think this is where it real, really boils down to, you know, this idea that you're doing things by yourself.

Dr Orlena: Yes, of course you can have support, but at the end of the day, as you say, there's only one person who can make these changes. And there is no reason why you can't do them. I know a lot of people come up with an awful long list of excuses why they can't, but at the end of the day, if you want to feel good, and you want to feel healthy, and you want to feel strong, and you want to feel fit, you have to make that happen.

Geraldine: Yeah. I, I'm Nearer 60 than I am 50 and that was you know feeling it the more weight I put on as well my joints were starting to hurt my my right knee I went to an osteopath and the osteopath said if you can lose about six six KG, that will really help that knee. It's sort of arthritic y slightly. I think it's, you know, starting to go that way.

Geraldine: So, you know, that was another incentive. I don't want to be aged and decrepit and not able to get out of my seat. And I thought, well, if I carry on. That could happen, actually. And I was drinking way too much as well, but that's a lockdown issue really. And I, I've subsequently heard lots of people talk about that and combine that with, you know, low self esteem and perimenopause.

Geraldine: It was just a, you know, I really did not want to be there anymore. And I really have prioritized myself this year. And it's a journey that, you know, the cliche, the life is a journey, but this is a journey and I'm not putting myself under too much pressure. If I do want to. have a lovely piece of cake, I will have it.

Geraldine: But then I'll know that the next day I will just, you know, get back on the healthy eating again. And actually I've noticed that my body can cope with that. It can cope with those, those small adjustments of sugar and, you know, fat and, you know, deliciousness that that was. But also I now realize, but there's other lovely lovely food that you can have that just feels so much nicer as well.

Geraldine: So it's sort of the best of both worlds for me.

Dr Orlena: Yeah. It's understanding where that limit is, I think. And I think that's a, it's like where I want to get people to is, well, ideally you've lost all the weight that you want to, so you're still not. No, I'm on that journey. Yeah. Yeah, but then also it is about understanding the limits of, hey, you know what, if I have one slice of cake every now and then, it's not a big deal.

Dr Orlena: But I know that I can't have a slice of cake, for example, every single day, because that is going to have a negative impact on both my health and my weight. But you know where that limit is. And it's easy for you to stick to that limit in that, for example, you have a slice of cake, and then you're looking forward to getting back on track the next day.

Dr Orlena: It's not, oh my goodness, I've had a slice of cake, therefore I'm going to have. Another slice of cake the next day and the next day.

Geraldine: But also the other thing that's really interesting that's happened. I don't, I do crave sweet things. I have a really sweet tooth. I definitely do. I don't crave it as much.

Geraldine: And I think I'm not craving it as much because I'm filling myself up with lovely other savoury and other things that I've made and put loads of effort in. I'm actually, the love for making food has really ignited this year and that, that is the big takeaway. I I'm really looking at labels and I've got a really good app that I scan stuff now.

Geraldine: And if it comes out, certainly I don't buy it, you know, so becoming more informed as well, being in control. I am a single parent, I'm on my own, but I just put food on the table for the kids. And they're older children, but they, they have maybe some of it, but they're, they're, They don't eat all of it all the time and sometimes they will turn their nose up.

Geraldine: But I just think, good, because that's more for me then and I really like that.

Dr Orlena: Perfect, perfect. If you could give a message to somebody who is Where you were at the beginning of the year fed up and frustrated, like nothing is gonna work for them. Mm-Hmm. , what would you say

Geraldine: to those people? I would, I would say I was scared at the be beginning of the year.

Geraldine: I was scared to make change. I was fearful of change, and I've never been like that before. That is not the person that I used to be, and I wanted my old self back. So I'm sure for many other people they might feel similar. About that, or they might think programs don't work for me or, or joining some, a group that doesn't work for me, but have, have faith.

Geraldine: And the group is, is I've been to a few live conversations with you and there's such a lovely group of people and it's so interesting and so valuable to hear other people's stories because you're not on your own. I know that that is true. And it really puts you on the back burner. I know you should prioritize, prioritize your health, prioritize you, but you've got to want it, you've got to believe it, and it will take time.

Geraldine: Allow yourself blips, allow yourself time, and allow yourself a little bit of, you know, give yourself a break, I think.

Dr Orlena: Yeah, absolutely. And I think you're right about the group program. What I love about the group aspect of it is, is it inspires you. So instead of thinking I'm totally by myself and there's no solution, you can see, first of all, other people who have gone through exactly the same process as you, and they're a little bit ahead of you and inspiring you.

Dr Orlena: Or you can see people who are struggling with exactly the same issues that you're struggling with. And sometimes it's much easier to see in somebody else because you're not so emotionally involved and you suddenly have this like, Oh my goodness, I can see it. This is exactly what happens to me, but I'm seeing it from the point of view of somebody else's experience.

Geraldine: And the other thing I've really noticed is being aware of triggers. So, emotional triggers with food and understanding that I have used food for solace, you know, I've used it to, you know, soothe me rather than enjoyment. And that's changed for me this year, because as soon as you eat that bar of chocolate or whatever it is, and again, I mentioned drink, you know, I did drink loads, you know, I used to drink loads of wine, you know, and again, that was to soothe me, really, but it didn't, and I felt rubbish.

Geraldine: So I've, I've noted that as well, that if I get cross about something or something triggers me, you know, I just think, oh, you know, it's, I'd love to eat a whole tub of ice cream or, that's an exaggeration, but you, you understand what I'm saying. Now I don't, I don't. And something has changed. Definitely the cravings are still there, but they have shifted.

Geraldine: They've abated a bit more. And I think it's because I'm more satisfied in the day. with nourishment. I think that's what it is.

Dr Orlena: Yeah, and it sounds like you're more self aware of, as well, of what's going on and have more tools to deal with the situation that arises, as opposed to blindly going on this rollercoaster and not really understanding why it is that you're turning to food all the time.

Dr Orlena: Yeah

Geraldine: and the one thing I also have not, have acknowledged this year is feeling isolated. You know, feeling isolated around food is a trigger for me because I'm, I'm a single parent and if I feel a bit sad, I would go to the cupboard and just eat whatever that was there, but now I tend to, if I'm going to have a pudding, I eat it socially, or if I have some cake, I'll share it with someone so it's not on my own.

Dr Orlena: How and how does it feel now that you've got those tools that you can see this, you can manage this. How does that feel to you? Yeah, I feel a bit chuffed actually. Yeah. Oh, I, I have had, in the past, in my early twenties, I did have an eating disorder, so I know it's there. It is, it's still part of who I am.

Geraldine: I don't, I, I, I, I know it's there, but I don't punish myself anymore around food and. You know, age 56, if I could tell my younger self, I would be, you know, take care of yourself, you know, love yourself if you can. It sounds so easy to say, doesn't it? Love yourself. Love yourself. Don't use food as a, as a trigger point.

Geraldine: But that's what I did. I used to punish myself with food, but now I have learned to love myself through food. But the good thing is I use food as an anchor and that's what's happened this year for me. Fabulous.

Dr Orlena: Geraldine, it's been such an honour to work with you and I'm, we'd love to congratulate you on your amazing journey and, you know.

Dr Orlena: I couldn't have done it without

Geraldine: you, really, and you know, the, the access to, you know, all your resources. And I really, really, the one thing I would say is the podcasts are so help, I love Audible, I love listening to books. If to anyone out there who hasn't, you know, listened to a podcast, listen to the podcast or Lena's podcast.

Geraldine: It's really Well, they are listening to podcasts. Yeah, yeah, of course. No, but I mean, for your, your newies, your newies, get them on it. Because I find that invaluable, really, really. It's the perfect amount of time. You have some interesting guest speakers on. And it is, it's, I found, I found that really valuable as well.

Geraldine: The podcast and the food resources, you know, the food bank resources. And it's just been great. Thank you. Fabulous. Fabulous.

Dr Orlena: My absolute, my pleasure, my absolute pleasure. And thank you very much for coming and talking on the podcast.

Geraldine: No worries. No worries. And I wish everyone the best of luck. I really do.

Geraldine: And just hang on in there. Hang on in there. It'd be good. Perfect. Let me just press stop recording.