my SWAP story
Kasia’s time on our SWAP programme, in her own words
I joined The Bridge’s SWAP programme in February 2020 with the hope to not only to lose weight, but to do something good for my body and my mental health. SWAP is a 12 week healthy eating, physical activity and weight management programme which supports you with effective lifestyle changes for better health.
The team were amazing from day one. I have never felt bad about myself at the meetings, quite the opposite, as everybody was very supportive, positive and encouraging. When I joined the programme my weight was 99.4 kg (waist - 41.5 inches, BMI - 34.2). I was moderately active and liked to walk but I didn’t do any other regular forms of physical activity and I definitely was not in control of what and how much I ate.
After the first meeting I was so eager to start my weight loss journey straight away, implementing small changes in my eating habits and physical activity. I started by reducing sugar intake (no more sugar in my coffee or tea!) and reduced the amount of carbs that I ate by controlling my portions. I also stopped snacking and started choosing healthier foods.
Completing the food diary and gaining knowledge about the different food we should eat each day made me realise all the mistakes in the past that lead me to putting weight on. This helped me to take control of my eating habits.
Having an opportunity to use a gym as a part of the programme was also amazing! I started going to the gym 3-4 times a week and realised how much I missed more intense physical activity. I started walking more than I used to and began feeling the benefits of physical activity, not only for my body, but also for my mood and self-esteem. After two weeks I lost 3.4 kg and 4 inches in my waist, I was so happy! This was moment I realised I could really do it, I just needed to commit and be persistent!
Unfortunately, after about 5 weeks of the programme, we couldn’t continue with in-person SWAP meetings or use the gym due to the pandemic. The first week of lockdown was very stressful for me and my family but I am a goal orientated person and decided that this challenging situation wouldn’t destroy what I had already achieved. I think I actually committed myself even more. I decided that if I couldn’t go to a gym, I was going to start doing workouts from YouTube at home. This was the best decision that I could make. Working out has become my way of relieving stress, calling it my “me time”. Each time I complete a workout I feel accomplished and so much better about myself. I believe that I am setting an example for my kids to be active, as when they see me exercising, they try to join in too!
I have continued completing my food diary entries and always look forward to supportive and kind feedback from Sylv! It has also been amazing that we can have Zoom meetings and support each other in this difficult and challenging time when so many of us could be feeling very lonely and low. Luckily, it helped greatly that my family and friends were very supportive from the start and have been encouraging of my efforts.
In total I lost 17.4 kg. My current weight is 82 kg (waist – 34 inch, BMI – 27.7). I didn’t want to be skinny or have a flat tummy, I just wanted to feel better about myself, be more active and have more energy. I am continuing my healthy eating habits and I love my workout routines!
I appreciate all the support that I have received from the SWAP team and want to let everybody know that if you really want to lose weight you can do it, but you have to work for it and be determined! It might not be easy at the start, but believe me, slowly you will see results with the right changes to your lifestyle. Plus, this will motivate you to try even harder. I don’t believe in quick weight loss and diets, so SWAP was right for me!
To find out more about our SWAP project, and whether it might be right for you, click here.