Running a pub isn’t the best recipe for a healthy lifestyle but former publican Henry Mollett has lost almost six and a half stone since ditching the pies, kebabs and up to 20 cans of beer a night. He tells BROOKE CHANDLER how he did it.
It would seem that the Molletts make an excellent team, as so far Henry’s wife has lost 2st 2lbs, his son Michael has lost 2st 4lb, daughter Sarah’s partner has lost 1st 8lbs and daughter Sarah has lost 2st after giving birth to her first child.
Henry says the key is making better choices with regards to food and lifestyle.
“You don’t have to deprive yourself,” he says. “I eat more now than I did before. I just eat the right things. I can’t do any exercise and need to use a mobility car because of my health problems so my weight loss is down to my reformed eating habits.”
Now Henry will typically eat bran flakes or a cooked breakfast, a chicken salad for lunch with wholemeal bread and a stir fry or pasta dish with plenty of veg for dinner.
His only snacks are fruit and he only drinks alcohol once or twice a month.
The strong sense of community at the Slimming World meetings makes Henry feel comfortable enough to talk openly about his weight loss. “I know lots of the other families that go to the meetings together like we do, and we don’t just leave after the weigh-in, we always stay for image therapy with Stacey, our consultant.”
Henry finds image therapy to be one of the most useful parts of the meeting as everyone is given the opportunity to sit and talk to one another about any problems they might have been experiencing.
“If you’re finding anything particularly difficult Stacey is really friendly and offers helpful advice and suggestions,” he says. “She’s always at the other end of the phone if you’re struggling or if you need to find out the Syn values of different foods.”
Henry has now been a member of Slimming World for nearly 11 months after joining in March 2010. “You might not believe me, but since I first joined I’ve never looked back,” he laughs.
“Whenever I tell anyone how much weight I’ve lost they’re always inspired to give Slimming World a go themselves.”
So far Henry has achieved a total weight loss of 6st 5lbs, weighing in at 18st 8lb, and the impact on his health has been massive. “At my yearly health check at the end of last year my doctor told me that I didn’t need to wear the mask any more because I’ve lost so much weight,” he says. “I was delighted and so was Lorraine. She doesn’t have to worry about me at night any more or dig me in the ribs for snoring!”
The battle of the bulge isn’t quite over yet for Henry as he still has 9lbs to go until he reaches his former rugby- playing weight.
The temptation of the festive season was a struggle and he still suffers from liver problems, which mean he has to drink plenty of water. An impending operation on his back to relieve trapped nerves means his determination is being tested.
“The morphine they’re giving me for my back pain and Christmas has made it a bit more difficult to lose any more weight, but I’m determined,” he says.
“I understood that if I didn’t lose the weight I wouldn’t be around to watch my grandson grow up and I wasn’t going to let that happen. Losing weight has saved my life and I’m so looking forward to spending time with my grandson. I’m over the moon.”