JOE’s Weight Watchers Challenge Week 6

JOE's three Weight Watchers challengers have finished yet another week in their pursuit to lose some weight. Here's how they got on this week.

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Joe Mulligan
Class: Ted Lavelle's, Achill Island
Starting weight: 21st 10lbs
Current weight: 19st 10lbs

I got on brilliant this week, I lost another 5 and a half pounds, which brings me up to a grand total of 28 pounds lost so far. That rounds me off nicely at two stone lost in just 5 weeks – so, as you can imagine, I let a yelp out of me on when I weighed in at class this week. It was better than I could have anticipated and I was absolutely delighted.

I set myself a target of walking 20 miles last week. I actually managed to hit 21 miles and no matter what the weight loss was, I achievec my walking target in the week so I was happy with that. But when I hit the five and a half pounds on the night, I was extra delighted.

There was a lot of support for me in class this week. There were plenty of positive comments and congratulations, but just as major as it was for me losing five and a half pounds, for someone else losing a pound or a half-pound when they’re close to their goal weight, is just as big of a deal. At the end of the day it’s not a competition, we’re all here to lose a bit of weight, like. It's all relative.

I’m around half way to where I’d like to be after JOE’s Weight Watchers Challenge. I’m really enjoying the meetings, they’re very supportive and we have a lot of banter with the lads and girls that are there.

To anyone reading this or if anyone has any question marks over joining Weight Watchers – you know, the lads that think it's just for women and not for men – I can tell you this, that’s a load of codswollop.

There’s an open door policy there. Like Bronagh, our class leader, said on the first night, the hardest part is showing up and after that it gets so much easier. And it’s true, my experience has been entirely positive.

I would love to lose 2 and a half pounds next week which would give me my 10 per cent weight loss target in just 6 weeks. If I hit it I'll be delighted but if not, I’ll be happy just not to have put on anything extra.

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Darren Savage
Class: Carmelite Community Centre, Whitefriar
Starting weight: 17st 13lbs
Current weight: 16st 13lbs

It was a bit of a bad week this week if I’m honest. I was up by about half a pound. It was the first week since I started that I had put on weight, which is a bit of a pity, but it’s not the end of the world.

I reverted back to some of my old habits over the week so I was pretty disappointed in myself for doing that. Work was pretty hectic though, and I was absolutely shattered when I came home from the office and, as a result, instead of putting any effort into my cooking, I just put on a frozen pizza, or some similar crappy fast food.

I also made no effort to go to the gym this week, mainly because of being too tired with work. I did manage to go swimming on my lunch break twice during the week, but that was really it. I fell off track following my ProPoints™ also which really throws things out of whack.

So I have a lot to learn from and improve on for this week. First and foremost is to get my ProPoints tracking back in order again.

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Aaron Chalke
Class: St Mary's Parish Hall, Haddington Road
Starting weight: 15st
Current Weight: 14st 7½lbs

I had a good week this week, I kept the momentum up so I lost another two pounds - slow and steady and all that. I’m happy I lost it though.

This week, I didn’t bother getting any take-a-ways and I stayed away from the odd pizza slice here and there. Staying away from the fast food was definitely a key point in this week's weight loss, I think.

I have to say though, it’s hard when you’re living with people and they’re getting takeaways and pizzas and what not, but it’s just all about not having any and putting in the extra bit of willpower.

I didn’t get too much exercise last week, but the goal for this week is to do a lot more jogging and hopefully I’ll lose a bit more.

I got on grand in class this week. Every time I go I end up collecting new and different nuggets of information that I might have missed if I didn’t bother going. Plus having the extra bit of support from people who are in the same boat helps too, you know?

Last week’s class has gotten me all geared up for this week so I’ll have to top up on my greens and give it a go.

I was out at the match last week and I didn’t think I’d lose much because I was out all day and it turned out grand so I was definitely taking it easy for Ireland-France on Sunday.

Check back next week to see how the lads are getting on in JOE's Weight Watchers Challenge. For more info on weight loss and healthy eating for men check out the Weight Watchers website.