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"Inspiring" Keely squares up to
obesity
08.07.13
AN INISHOWEN woman has
beaten the killer trio diabetes, high blood pressure
and cholesterol in a matter of months after shedding
over THREE stone in weight.
Keely Beresford (35) has been allowed to come off
all her tablets after slimming down from 14 stone to
10 stone 10lb and falling.
The petite community centre worker’s weight had
crept up and she’d hardly even noticed.
"I've been chubby my whole life but I was active and
did martial arts and thought I was quite healthy. I
didn't realise I was actually obese with quite a lot
of serious health problems as a result," said Keely.
She was immediately put on tablets last September to
lower her blood pressure while diabetes and
cholesterol medication followed soon after.
But 5' 1" Keely, who lives in Carrowmenagh with her
beagle dog Amber, knew she had to square up to her
obesity.
"I was diagnosed with diabetes on the Monday and I
walked into the local Slimming World class on
Wednesday," added Keely, who works part-time at
Carrowmenagh Community Centre. |
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Keely Beresford (35) from
Carrowmenagh pictured at 14 stone last year, left,
and now, having dropped over three stone in weight. |
Prior to her lifestyle
overhaul, London-born Keely would skip breakfast and
lunch and "nibble all day" on large bags of crisps,
sweets and savoury treats. Dinner was a full-fat
curry or calorie-rich pasta dish.
Now she eats a breakfast of porridge and fruit while
lunch is a salad or sandwich and dinner a curry or
pasta meal with reduced fat sauce. She can eat
anything she wants “in moderation”, takes regular
walks with Amber and enjoys the camaraderie of her
weekly Slimming World session.
To her amazement she was allowed come off her blood
pressure tablets in early January – just three
months into her weight-loss regime. But she was
“completely stunned” five weeks ago when her "very
surprised" GP told her she could also ditch her two
daily diabetes pills. She is proud she is now able
to control her diabetes through diet alone. And,
while it’s also at normal levels, she chooses to
stay on a cholesterol-busting tablet because of a
family history of heart disease.
“Weight-loss for me was never about looks, it was
all about my health. I was probably living with
diabetes for some time without knowing it.
“I am determined to keep my weight down because I
don’t want to end up having to inject myself with
insulin every day and I certainly don’t want to go
blind to diabetes – that would be my worst
nightmare.”
Meanwhile, her Slimming World consultant in Moville,
Martha Ward, credits Keely with inspiring others.
“She doesn’t mind sharing how she has managed to
make the changes necessary to get the weight off,”
she said.
Keely added: "I would like people to know that if
they are obese and are worried they’ve permanently
damaged their health, they can get better in a short
time if they make changes. It doesn't have to be a
death sentence." |
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