Knee op recovery fast-tracked by Vitality Weight Loss Rewards

Cycle goal weight: 72kg
Cycle starting weight: 77.1kg
Cycle end weight: 72kg

Vitality member *Kim (name changed for privacy) is no stranger to yo-yo weight gain and loss. In her 30s, her days were consumed with raising her children and helping her husband run his company.

By early 2000, she kept herself so busy that she'd stopped exercising altogether. Over the next few years, she started gaining weight and feeling more lethargic.

"My weight was so limiting. I couldn't do many of the things I loved most, like sailing and cycling. I knew there had to be a drastic change."
Fortunately, Kim never suffered from of the any of the chronic illnesses like diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure which unhealthy weight gain can cause or aggravate. But after a knee op in 2016 year, her recovery was taking longer than expected.

"My doctor advised weight loss for faster recovery"

Kim's knee continuously hurt, unless she took her standing weight off it. Unsurprisingly, her surgeon advised that losing weight would aid her healing.

The turning point came early in January 2017 when, at 90kg, she finally got fed up with her own excuses for not losing weight. She knew it was time.

Gathering all her resolve, Kim began by cutting out sugar, alcohol and carbohydrates for a month. By the middle of February, she'd lost nearly five kilograms.

She began participating in a local parkrun (timed, 5km outdoor events) and felt accomplished each time she earned 300 Vitality fitness points for completing a run. Then in May, she began her Vitality Weight Loss Rewards (WLR) journey.

"My self-image has improved markedly"

Vitality Weight Loss Rewards, which rewards members for achieving a personalised weight-loss goal, was just the motivation she needed.

Kim enlisted the expert advice of a dietitian, who drew up a customised diet targeting her metabolism. The healthier Kim became, the more she got a kick out of checking her progress on her Vitality WLR graph - a gradual but steady decline in weight over the course of 12 weeks. Her first WLR cycle earned her 25% additional cash back on her HealthyFood spend.

"After beginning Vitality Weight Loss Rewards, my knee improved drastically and is now fine. My self-image has also improved markedly. Now I can dress smartly without worrying about love handles showing. I can fit into my clothes without pouring myself into baggy outfits," she says.

"Now we can focus on ourselves"

To help her keep track of her fitness levels, Kim's husband bought her a Garmin Connect heartrate monitor, and there was no looking back.

"Over the years, we focused on business and then family, and now that our children are successful adults, we can focus on ourselves," Kim enthuses. She and her husband used the HealthyGear benefit at Sportsman's Warehouse to kit themselves out for their renewed efforts towards better health.

"We had to buy a lot of gear and it made it far cheaper. It's a little bit here and a little bit there, but it all helps," she says.

The pair joined an online sport coaching programme and now put as much time and effort into their health and fitness as they did into their business. Running several kilometres two or three times a week has become the happy norm.

Climbing to Gold status through healthy behaviours

Kim also joined Vitality Active Rewards, which offers members weekly rewards for achieving personalised physical activity goals, and enjoys claiming free coffees at her closest vida e caffè for hitting her targets.

Since she's become more highly engaged in the programme, she's also been thrilled to watch her Vitality status soar. The cherry on top has been hitting Gold Vitality status in year.

Now Kim enjoys the many perks of a high Vitality status, and is considering joining Virgin Active and activating her Gym Booster benefit for even bigger discounts.

"I'm now more determined than ever before"

Today, Kim is far more aware of what she eats (no sugar or salt, low carbs, a balanced intake of protein, and many more vegetables and fruit).

She also makes sure she drinks enough water to support her exercise regime. While she's still watching her weight, Kim allows herself the occasional cheat meal that doesn't tick all the healthy boxes. "I just make sure it doesn't turn into a cheat week!" she adds.

Losing weight and becoming more active has been transformative for Kim, and the benefits are spilling into all aspects of her life.

"I was offered a promotion this year in sales and now I'm in top management - I think they were impressed with my (weight) turnaround. One just feels more competent. I'm now more determined than ever before and have a lot more confidence in myself!"