Getting something right

I don't write on this blog all that often these days. I'm thrilled to have reached an appropriate weight for my height and build after years of struggle (currently 143 lb - 10 stone 3) and am working hard now on the fitness, nutrition and maintenance aspects.

However, I wanted to flag up a recent milestone and hope it's helpful and useful to others.

I have just returned from a wonderful health & fitness weekend with the splendid Mother Nature's Diet community. We had the opportunity to use one of those full-body-analysis scales. The last time I used one of those was on my first day at the Obsidian health resort (sadly this has since gone out of business), where my journey back to health began.

I looked out the printout from the start of my stay at Obsidian, 4 June 2014. The measurements aren't quite as detailed as the present set (taken 6 November 2016), but they are still telling.

• Body fat was 42.8% - now 32.4%
• Visceral fat was 10 - now 6.5
• BMI was 30.1 - now 24.2
• Metabolic age was 66 (I was 51) - now 45 (I'm nearly 54)! So I've gone from being 15 years older than my real age to almost 9 years younger.

Yes, I'm very proud of all that I've achieved. However, I would never have managed it without the generous support and encouragement of countless professionals, friends and family, who have been there for me throughout, and in many cases continue to be so. Here are a few of the professionals:

My counsellor at Obsidian who helped me to deal with the demons that had been holding me back for many years, and in effect opened the door: Marco Silva of Factor Vida.

The friend and professional colleague who introduced me to Obsidian and encouraged me to take that first step: Debi Haden.

Most recently, and making a huge impact on my life: the magnificent Karl Whitfield of Mother Nature's Diet, and all the fabulous people who are members of that community.

It can be done. Look around for the help and then accept it. Find your 'tribe'. Listen. Keep an open mind. Share. Contribute. This is, as another inspiring lady (the wonderful Kath Temple) puts it, "one wild and precious life".

Yes, I'm delighted that I look better now. But of far more importance is the health: the reduced risk of heart disease and various cancers, stacking the deck in my favour to achieve quality of life, however long it may be.