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Active Derbyshire's 'Healthy Hero' is 42 pounds lighter but £100 richer

5 February 2010

The Active Derbyshire campaign, which encourages people to do more sport or active recreation, invited people to share their stories about how they got more active, and Matt impressed judges with his story of how he took up swimming, got fit and lost three stone in weight.

Having never enjoyed sport and instead taking comfort in food, drink and cigarettes, Matt had been a 37-year-old 18-stone couch potato, always feeling tired, with back ache and a permanent cough, and a test for diabetes showed that he was well on the way to being in serious trouble.

But after buying a cheap swimming costume on a whim Matt began going swimming during his lunch break, and over the past 18 months has gradually improved his fitness, swimming more often and further each time.

Matt now goes swimming at William Gregg Leisure Centre in Heanor most lunchtimes, swimming up to one mile each session.

Matt said: “I knew I had to change or feel like that, and worse, forever. 

“I started going three times a week, then four, then every dinner.  I was soon doing 20 lengths, 25, and then half a mile a day.  I began to feel my jeans and shirts getting baggy.

“All that exercise made me hungry though, and I still ate plenty, but started to eat a bit healthier.”

Matt has now been given a boost in his efforts to keep fit, winning £100 in sports vouchers.

He said: “There will always be faster and slimmer blokes than me in the pool, and I’ll never be an athlete, but I’m happy with what I’ve achieved and that’s all that counts. 

“Because of the way I’ve worked it, my swimming costs very little and takes up time I would only be wasting anyway.  When I’m off work or too busy to swim, I feel all stiff and tired, and really miss it.  Looking back I realize that I must have felt like that all the time, but just never noticed as it was ‘normal’!

“I enjoy feeling fitter and more confident.  I’ve got more energy too, and I sleep better that I have in years.”
 
Active Derbyshire is a county-wide campaign led by the Active Derbyshire Partnership, which includes Derbyshire Sport and Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust.

Angela Carter, Active Lifestyles Officer at Derbyshire Sport, said: “We received some really great entries to the Healthy Heroes competition that really demonstrated that it is never too late to get fit and there is an activity out there for everyone.

“Matt’s story is really inspiring, he has achieved great results and has shown that you don’t have to be typically ‘sporty’ to keep fit.”

Matt’s story can be read in full at www.activederbyshire.co.uk (opens in a new window).