An ACTON Story | Page 2

"My wife and I both plan healthy meals and shop accordingly. I concentrated on protein and vegetables and I tried to be mindful of what I ate. Sometimes you eat things just because they are there, not because you are hungry, and you don't give it a second thought. Every time I wanted to eat I thought 'did I have to?'. It was psychological - I'd think: do I need to eat that? Can I say no ? Is it necessary? "We also learned a few things along the way. We live in the South West, with easy access to some fantastic wineries and their products. However there are a lot of calories in wine and my wife has now become a fan of vodka, once she found out about the calorie difference! Even so, we still try and have three to four alcohol free nights per week.” Leading up to the ACTON Conference Vince had lost an amazing 18kg and his new figure gained a lot of very positive attention. However it hasn't been entirely smooth sailing. "The Conference was a bit of a setback. I did put on 2.3kg, probably as a result of drinking all that beer. However when I got back home I went back to my normal eating and exercising patterns and a week later weighed 82.4kg. We all face temptations, and situations where the conditions aren't perfect, you just have to remember that it's not the end of the world and you just need to get back into it." Vince has recently thrown out his "fat" wardrobe - otherwise it's a bit of a security blanket - and aims to reach 80 kg. "I'd say the first six to ten weeks are the hardest, particular in terms of the sugar cravings, but then it gets easier and become a habit. When I reach my goal, I plan to follow the same program, it's a new way of life!" Vince's wife Deborah has also lost 8kg and together their family have a new lease on life and a very bright future. We all applaud this gutsy effort! Editor's Note: Since this ACTON Story was first put together, Vince has achieved his goal weight of 80 kilos. He says it has been like trench warfare to get the last 3 kilos off, but he's done it through continuing with the exercise regime of Pilates and mountain biking. Congratulations Vince! WWW.ACTON.COM.AU