Four years ago, I stepped over the threshold of my local gym and immediately wanted to step out again. Behind the counter were four men in their 20s with bulging muscles – I was an overweight woman in her late 50s who’d never exercised a day in her life. The terror must have shown on my face as, just as I was going to leave, one of the muscle men said, ‘We know how hard it is to walk through that door, but you’ve done it now and we’re here to help you.’ So, I stayed, and that decision changed my life.
Having spent a decade as a restaurant critic, I regularly indulged in good, rich food and drink without a second thought. Drinking a bottle of wine to myself wouldn’t even touch the sides, and exercise was never on my agenda. I was a big baby (over 11 pounds at birth!) and chubby toddler, nicknamed ‘Michelin Man’. Because I’d had a bigger frame growing up, I presumed I wouldn’t be any good at sports, so I didn’t join any. As an adult, I forged a busy and successful career in TV and food and, because I could manage my routine and wasn’t ill, presumed I was healthy.
Then, in 2021, I caught sight of myself in the mirror as I was getting up one morning. I was 5ft 7in, I weighed 13 and a half stone and was – I finally realised – overweight. I was 57, about to be two-thirds of the way through my life and, if I didn’t do something drastic, that next third wouldn’t be one of good health.
That’s why I found myself heading to the gym. I presumed I’d be taken straight for a tour of the equipment, but the first thing the trainer did was tell me to write out what I ate in a typical day. ‘Your diet is 85% carbohydrates,’ he said. ‘You need to be eating about 1 gram of protein per 1 kg of body weight to lose weight.’ This was news to me, but it made sense: protein builds muscle, and muscle burns fat.
Instead, I began a new meal plan with a calorie limit of around 1,000 calories a day, which was gradually increased. My diet transformed from a deluge of beige to one of colourful, healthy, but still delicious food. I still had a sweet tooth, so I created healthier versions of my favourite treats like quark cheesecake and ‘truffles’ made from dates (recipe below), which has now led to my next project: starting a snack company.
In the meantime, I was taken to the weight-training area, which felt completely alien. I was the only woman and I didn’t want to look like a bodybuilder, so why would I lift weights? I was quickly proven wrong. Instead, combined with my new diet, the fat melted away and my body became toned and strong – not bulky. In total, I lost five stone and the benefits went well beyond feeling more confident when I looked in the mirror. I noticed improvements in almost every aspect of my life, from being more clear-headed with better skin to improved sleep and more energy. My friends say I look like I’m ageing backwards.
At first, I lost weight quickly, which was really motivating, but then I began to plateau. I learned that weight loss, like any process in life, isn’t linear, and I had to push through and keep going. Eventually, the weight began to come away again and having a trainer really helped me stay motivated and keep on the straight and narrow. A strong support system is key to success.
Today, I start the day with protein pancakes loaded with ricotta and fruit, or a vegetable frittata with added eggs whites for a protein boost. For lunch, I’ll have a lean meat like venison, perhaps as a chilli with copious vegetables including broccoli, which is a superfood. Prawns and tuna are ideal for dinners, because they’re high protein but low in fat, or I might have a steak. Pulses are also great – and I love lentils. As a sweet treat, I'll have one of my healthier bakes or a couple of squares of dark chocolate. I rarely drink any more, but I will have a glass of bubbles if it’s a special occasion.
Now, I do weights three in the gym three times a week, plus a couple of Pilates sessions and I walk everywhere – I’ve even given away my car! I see the cost of a gym membership as an investment in my future health and prioritise it over trips to the pub – no more whole bottles of wine for me. There are so many competitively priced fitness centres across the country now, as well as plenty of brilliant free online resources, including exercise tutorials you can follow on YouTube. I also find MyFitnessPal really helpful, which tracks what you eat and breaks down your daily nutrition.
If you’d asked me what my priorities were four years ago, health and wellbeing wouldn’t have even made the top 20. Now, it’s number one and I feel more positive about the future than I ever have before – the next third of my life is a going to be a whole new, healthy adventure.
Fit & Fabulous Over 50 by Alison Cork is out now. GH readers can use code FABULOUS20 for a 20 per cent discount here.
Alison’s Chocolate Orange Date Balls
Ingredients: 13 dates (with stones) / 2 tbsp cocoa powder / 40g rolled oats / 2 tbsp chia seeds / 20g desiccated coconut / 1 medium orange / 100g x 90% cocoa chocolate (preferably Lindt as it melts well)
Nutritional breakdown (per ball, based on 30 balls): 45 cals / 1g protein / 4g carbs / 3g fat
Method:
- De-stone the dates. Put the dates, cocoa powder, oats, chia seeds and desiccated coconut into a blender. Add the juice of the orange. Blend until well mixed into a thick paste.
- Divide into 30 balls.
- Melt the chocolate. Dip the balls into the chocolate using a small spoon and leave to dry on a flat board on greaseproof paper.
- Sprinkle with either grated orange rind and/or desiccated coconut.
- Inhale and devour. Store in the fridge if they last that long…
PS If you want to up the protein content, you could add 30g chocolate whey protein, which would add about 3 cals and 1g protein to each ball.
