Before and After
Sense has changed my life
I have an age-old dream of running a marathon – suddenly that dream is within reach, and that’s fantastic.
About Søren
60 years old
Unemployed, previously worked as a production manager
Married, three children, two living at home
Has lost 17 kilos with Sense in six months and is 43 kilos away from his goal
How I lived before sense
I hit my lowest point in December 2017. In the same week, I was fired from my job as a production manager and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. It was a tough week. I was put on medication for both diabetes and high blood pressure and offered eight sessions of health treatment and support through Aarhus Municipality. I accepted that offer. But the bad prognosis planted a fear in me, and I knew I had to take responsibility and do something about my overweight.
My kilos had slowly crept up throughout my adult life. I had lost weight before, but each time, the kilos returned. Over the last 25 years, my weight unfortunately only increased, eventually reaching 137 kilos. I realized that things were getting out of hand because I had to buy bigger and bigger pants. The fear that the extra kilos would result in lifestyle diseases gnawed at me – and unfortunately became a reality. I had long working days and a long commute – many hours in the car, where I snacked to stay alert and busy with something. It was a slippery slope, but I couldn’t see a way out because my energy was at rock bottom when I finally got home in the evenings. I was the one who cooked dinner for the family, and every evening it was spontaneous purchases on the way home. At work, I was fortunately very active – I always managed to get in 8000-13000 steps before getting into the car to drive the 125 kilometers home again. But it wasn’t enough because I ate far too much food at once – and far too much candy, chocolate, and cake.
About three months after I was fired, I was surfing the internet one Friday night. I remember quite precisely that it was March 10 around 10:30 PM. It may sound strange that I remember it, but it stands out clearly because that’s when I decided to change my life. I was scrolling through the news on my LinkedIn profile, and suddenly my eye caught a post about Sense, posted by a woman from Aabenraa. I had no idea what Sense was, but I was curious, so I decided to write to the woman, whom I didn’t know personally, to get more information about the concept.
How I live after Sense
It turned out to be a good decision. She replied that same evening, and her description gave me so much motivation that I started my new lifestyle the very next day. I began on my own, gradually getting equipped for the task with the information I received from the woman on LinkedIn and the Sense website. Previously, I could easily start the day with four pieces of white bread, and I could easily finish a bag of candy and half a liter of cola while driving from work. Now it was time to examine all my bad habits. From one day to the next, I gave up cola, candy, chocolate, and white bread. Instead, I increased my intake of vegetables, eggs, meat, and whole grains. It went surprisingly smoothly – perhaps because I made Sense my own by following my common sense and starting with the food I already ate. From the beginning, I decided not to torture myself. Sense is a lifestyle, and the weight loss will come. Initially, I set a goal to lose 40 kilos by Christmas this year. I don’t think I’ll make it, but that’s okay. I’ll just adjust my expectations a bit – I’ll get there. I’m not a fan of rapid weight loss – it’s important to include both body and mind in the process.
I always walked a lot at work, and after becoming unemployed, I kept that habit. Today, I meet four women once a week for a walk. The women also follow Sense, and we found each other via the Facebook group. It’s a great community to be a part of – both the large Facebook group and our small walking club. Often, we don’t even talk about food and weight but about everything else in our lives.
Why Sense works for me
I believe Sense works so well for me because it’s such an easy concept to follow. I don’t feel like I’ve had to change my entire life, even though many changes have happened. I’ve never been into Facebook before, but regarding Sense, I have to say it’s a big advantage. I’m in the large group, the men’s group, and the diabetes group, and I draw inspiration from all three places. Previously, I shopped day by day. I didn’t have the energy or time to plan anything, so it often ended up with quick and unhealthy solutions. Today, it’s completely different. I plan my shopping and meals, and I always have pre-chopped vegetables in containers in the fridge. That way, it’s easy to get started. My only challenge is that I lack space in my fridge – but that’s a luxury problem.
How my family functions on Sense
I always cook for the family, which makes it easy because I control what goes on the table. We all eat the same food, but my wife and our children decide how they want to compose their plates. If they want more bread, pasta, or potatoes than vegetables, that’s fine. I largely make the same food I’ve always made. On my plate, the distribution looks different than it did before. Overall, there are also more vegetables on the table. I also occasionally try new dishes – and I almost always get inspiration from the Facebook groups. My wife doesn’t follow Sense, but the dietary changes have still resulted in her losing 5-6 kilos. That’s a nice side benefit.
How I handle challenges
I haven’t felt any physical discomfort from changing my diet. I know some people experience nausea and headaches, but luckily, I haven’t had that. However, I do experience more constipation, possibly because I eat many of my vegetables raw. Occasionally, I still crave going crazy with licorice and chocolate – and I allow myself to do that. There’s nothing forbidden in Sense, so I feel it’s okay to let loose occasionally.
What Sense has done for me
Sense has changed my life – that’s the short version. I’ve gained more self-esteem because I believe I can succeed in my weight loss project. I didn’t think that before. I have an age-old dream of running a marathon – suddenly that dream is within reach, and that’s fantastic. My plan is to start running again when my weight drops below 100 kilos. I can feel my energy levels have increased, which is really nice. I can handle much more physically and go for long walks – the other day, I walked 10 kilometers. My biggest goal from the start has been to lose weight and manage my type 2 diabetes. And it’s slowly but surely working. At my last check-up, all my numbers were very good. My long-term blood sugar was within the normal range, so I’m very optimistic and hope that at my next check-up, I can stop my diabetes medication entirely. I also hope my blood pressure will drop so I can reduce my blood pressure medication – and I’m confident that will happen.
I enjoy buying smaller and smaller clothes – it’s always a step down in size. Previously, it was only going the other way, and it’s much more fun this way, where I constantly have to renew my wardrobe. I feel so confident in my new habits today that I’m not worried about falling back into old patterns – even when I get a job again and have to be away from home more. It won’t be a problem because today I know how important it is to prepare and have healthy foods available.
My best tips
Take it easy – that’s the most important message. Don’t chase quick and big weight losses from the start. Set realistic intermediate goals and work towards them. That way, you won’t lose motivation, and the kilos will disappear at a pace that suits you and your body. I have two jars with small and large beads, and for every 500 grams I lose, I move a small bead – while for every five kilos lost, I move a large bead. It makes the weight loss very visual, so that’s a tip I’d like to pass on.
Find your own way with Sense, so use your common sense and base it on your own life and food. Don’t compare yourself to others – they can inspire you, but you need to stay true to yourself and lower your ambitions. Remember, weight can fluctuate by a couple of kilos, so stay calm if you find you’re not losing weight – or maybe even gained a little. The next time you weigh yourself, it may have changed again.
Find inspiration for a healthy lifestyle in the many recipes and meal plans from SenseMyDiet.