Hello and welcome, everyone!!

Thanks for coming back for more!!!

Thrilled to have you all here!!!

Disappointing matric results, but still sufficient points to be accepted into the University of my choice, the course of my choice and the residence of my choice.

I headed down to the Cape, slender, excited and with the world at my feet.

Freshers week was so much fun: so many boys and seemingly so little time to get to know them all! However, this boy fun didn’t last, as by the end of the first semester I had ballooned, gaining probably in the region of 15- 20 kilograms. The early flirtation and revelry with the boys came to a grinding halt and it was all rather sad. I remember well having a competition with another “hungry” girl and beating her as I managed to eat 14 slices of bread, this after a large evening meal.

I was homesick and heavy and could not even make the drum majorettes team, although that was probably more due to the fact that I have non-existent marching and dancing skills. Studying so far from home may, in hindsight, not have been the right thing for me to do. It was an emotional and bodyweight rollercoaster and I am surprised I managed to pass every year.

At the end of my 3^rd year at varsity, I met another boy and lost quite a lot of weight. It was a turbulent relationship, but I managed to keep my weight at a normal level until the end of my degree.

I graduated and having spent a year and a half consolidating my physiotherapy skills, headed to the UK, very excited and relatively slim. I had finished my studies, was heading off overseas to work and travel, and the universe was now my oyster.

Wonderful times, working to save to travel, travelling, returning to work to save to travel. I saw and experienced the most wonderfully amazing things and it was so very much fun. However, sadly, quite quickly after my leaving the secure shores of South Africa, I ballooned.

For 2 ½ years, this continued, but towards the end of my time abroad I became relatively slim again. I met a couple of nice boys and had super times with them, and made some really good girlfriends, too. I got to know and spend time with my UK relatives, and I had amazing work.

This all in spite of my rather large size.

Happily and pretty contented, I returned home. Through my best friend, I met my husband the day after arriving in Johannesburg. This amazing man came straight up to me and said, “You must be Hayles”, enveloping me in a strong warm bear hug. I will never forget that moment.

Within weeks we were dating and, in spite of a 7-month break when he worked in London, we have been together ever since, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I made the most awesome choice.  I absolutely adore him, we have created an incredible life, have 3 amazing sons, are so happy, and have just celebrated our 25th  wedding anniversary.

That’s it for my 3rd Blog.

Look forward to having you read the final blog of my nutrition journey.

My 2nd eating tip

Eating out can be the best fun, but it can also be very stressful. I have started looking at the restaurant menu online whenever I can before I  get there, as so often once I am there, I get overexcited at seeing and being with my friends and family, that I feel rushed and often make poor choices. Another idea is to arrive earlier, study the menu carefully to get an idea of what you really feel like eating. If neither of these is possible, try to set aside a couple of minutes before you go out and have a plan in mind as to what choices may be right for you. Keep that water glass close and filled and above all, enjoy, engage and live in the moment!!