“I look at myself in the mirror and think ‘Oh my God, how embarrassing!'”

Eight years ago, Emlyn lost his 53 year old father to lung cancer. Losing his father at such a young age had a big effect on Emlyn and he does not want the same thing to happen to him. Emlyn wants to be there to see his Grandchildren grow up as his father didn’t have that opportunity.

His Dad was a climber and a member of the Mountain rescue team. As a tribute to his Father, Emlyn joined the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Team seven years ago, but he admits that he is not fit enough to be a member.

“I’m really embarrassed. If I go up the mountain, I’m usually right at the back. I feel really unfit and overweight.”

Emlyn doesn’t feel fit enough to attend training sessions at the moment as he feels ashamed and doesn’t want anyone to make fun of his lack of fitness. He helps in the office, but his big goal is to be able to join the crew on calls and help rescue people on the mountains.
Emlyn also saves lives at his workplace and is training to be a paramedic. He has some trouble with fitness at times in this job and feels himself sweating as he deals with a patient. He tends to eat more during a shift and then again when he finishes. He might eat kebabs, pork pies, chocolate, along with a McDonalds about four times a week.
“My weight stops me doing a lot with my children. Even reading to them at night is awkward because I’m afraid I’ll break their bed under my weight. I look at myself in the mirror and I’m embarrassed to see that belly and bloated face. It doesn’t look great. ”

Emlyn would love to lose weight and feel fit. He wants to look better and find a healthy lifestyle the whole family can follow.

“I want to look back at my graduation photo and think – I look good there, and not have to hide it away in a box.”

Mared’s biggest goal is to lose weight for her graduation photos this July. She wants to be able to look back at the photos with pride not shame or embarrassment.

Originally from Bodedern, Mared now lives in Bangor with 6 other students. She studies Welsh language at Bangor University and hopes to do her teachers training course next year, although the thought of it intimidates her :

“I’ll never get a job as a teacher the size I am right now.”

As a student, she’s been eating too may takeaways and drinking jagerbombs and gallons of cider. While she’s at work, she snacks throughout the day. She usually skips dinner but ends up feeling hungry later on in the evening, and orders a kebab.
Between juggling 2 jobs, her university work and singing with the JMJ Choir, she has a very busy life!

However, Mared stuggles with a lot of health issues. She has high blood pressure, asthma and scoliosis that causes back pain. Her ankles are often swollen which means she always wears flip-flops.

When she was at school, she used to play football, netball and hockey, but once she started studying for her A Levels, she spent more time revising than exercising. The weight piled on during her A-Levels and continued at university.

She says she has to do something about her weight before it’s too late.

“FFIT Cymru has already saved my life.”

Originally from Llandudno, David has been living in Caerphilly for 25 years. He shares his home with his wife Julia, and their two children, Aled (16), and Ffion (12). He is Deputy Headteacher at Ysgol Gynradd Heol y Celyn in Pontypridd.

David believes that just attending the FFIT Cymru assessment day has saved his life. Tests during the day showed such a high blood pressure that he was advised to sit out the 1km challenge. He did complete the 1km by walking it, and made an appointment to see his Doctor the next day, when he was prescribed medication.

“I was in danger of having a stroke or a heart attack. I think I’m one of the most unfit people in Wales at the moment!”

David used to be very fit when he was younger. He played football to a high level and represented his county in athletics. Since giving up football 25 years ago, the pounds have piled on. “I’ve never been so heavy,” he admits.

David’s children are very active. Aled is a member of a cycling club and Ffion plays football. The family holds an annual football match – children against adults. Last year David only lasted ten minutes as he was sweating profusely, and Ffion called him ‘embarrassing’.

Ffion suffers with a condition called Hyperinsulinism-Hypoglycemia (HI) which means that her body produces too much insulin. She needs a high carbohydrate diet to keep her levels consistent. Recently, the family has noticed that she is gaining weight, and she wants to begin running with her father.

David has joined a local weekly cycling group, but he has had to stop as he feels he is holding everybody up. He’d like to be able to increase his stamina levels and re-join the group. He turned fifty this year, and feels that the time is right to make big changes to his way of life.

“I’m getting bigger, not smaller..I eat if I’m happy, I eat if I’m sad, I eat if I’m stressed.”

A young mother to three sons (aged 9, 11, and 13), Annaly Jones from Carmarthen has had a tough time in her 30s. She has been through two divorces and lost her Dad to cancer in 2017. Annaly admits that she used food as an emotional crutch through these difficult periods. She has managed to control her drink intake, but is struggling to manage her diet.

She wants the ‘old Annaly’ back. That Annaly was full of life, she was strong and the life and soul of the party. She really needs to rediscover herself.

Annaly is a very busy taxi service for her young sons, driving them to rugby, football and swimming practice, amongst other things. In the midst of this busy life, she manages to find time to cook, and always cooks fresh meals. But in the evenings, loneliness strikes, and she comforts herself by eating in front of the television. She admits that she snacks on her sons’ leftovers, as well as crisps, sweets, cheese and crackers.

Unable to find time for an exercise routine, Annaly wants to manage her schedule more effectively. She is always on the go with her sons, and needs to make time for herself. Annaly used to play netball and enjoyed swimming; she would love to regain the confidence to put on her suit and start swimming again. Annaly needs support to put her back on track to rediscovering her old self. She has a personal goal to climb Pen y Fan with her sons.

“This is exactly what I need – somebody to say to me ‘this is what you’re doing, this is when, and this is what you’re eating. That’s what I’m ready for and ready to give 110%”

Matthew has lived in Aberystwyth since he studied drama in the University. Born in pontypool, he lost his mother to cancer at an early age and was brought up by his father. He has a sister back in Pontypool and is very fond of his two nieces.
Obesity is a problem for the family. His father has had two small strokes recently and and his Aunt died of weight-related issues. Matthew feels that the time has come to do something about his eight and at the same time he hopes to help other members of his family.
“I’ve witnessed the devastating effect of obesity in my family, with diabetes cancer and strokes. I don’t want that to happen to me.”
Matthew has never been a fit person, and avoided the bullies who played sport at school by inventing injuries. If he does any exercise at the moment, he feels that it gives his a good excuse to eat more.
Matthew is a ’self-confessed foodie’ and loves cooking. But he cooks unhealthy food, full of butter and fat. His friend describes his huge platefulls as a ‘Matthew-sized portion’. He can sometimes eat four takeaways a week, with pizza a big favourite. He admits to eating too many carbs in all of his meals and grazes on biscuits and chocolates in his office
“I think I’m somebody who has never been able to keep to a routine, and have never made a concerted effort to live a healthy life. I’m not afraid of anything, but I hate to look back at photographs of myself.”
Matthew would like to look in the mirror and see somebody ‘sexy and fit’. His goal is to be able to wear a smart suit, but at the moment he can see his ‘moobs’ and feels like a fraudster in his suit. His partner Connor, lives nearby and they have been in a relationship for over a year.