17The News, Monday, April 25, 2011Portsmouth.co.uk

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Fitness

Amy’s looking forward tosummer now she’s lighter

With summer on its way, Amy Packard isdelighted she shaped up. She talks to CHLOEELIZABETH ELLIS about losing weight.

For any girl, a once-in-a-lifetime job sailingaround the Greekislands isn’t some-thing to pass up easily.

That’s why when AmyPackard got offered a job asan on-board hostess for asailing holiday company shejumped at the chance.

She was delighted to comeback with some great memo-ries and a fantastic tan. Butshe hadn’t expected to comehome weighing more than 15stones.

‘I would just eat what Icould for breakfast,’ saysAmy.

‘It would usually be eggs,bacon, bread and butter. Iwouldn’t usually eat anythingduring the day except icecream.’

Add in a lot of carbohy-drates for dinner and thelate-night drinking sessionsthat followed and you’ve got aproblem.

‘For dinner I would eatkebabs, pizzas and pastacarbonara,’ adds the 25-year-old from Southsea.

‘It was more the drink-ing though. We were liter-ally drinking every night,whether it was just one ginand tonic or a whole bottle ofwine. It all adds up.’

Amy loved every minute ofher time away but when shegot home she was unhappywith the way she looked andfelt.

Soon the time had come forher to deal with the conse-quences of eating what shewanted while she was away.

With a lot of hard work,determination and the helpof her slimming group, Amy’snow three stones lighter and

feels happier than ever. Nowthat summer is on its wayshe can’t wait to show off hernewly-toned body.

‘I joined the gym and Iplayed squash once a week tohelp get the weight off, andI even started up my ownslimming club in the hope ofhelping others.

‘We’ve got nearly 50members now. It was hardto get the word out there atfirst, but we’ve done it and it’sgoing really well.’

With the weather gettingbetter all the time, lots ofpeople will be thinking aboutfollowing Amy’s example.

And now she’s lost theweight she’s determined tokeep it off.

‘Now I will have someWeetabix for breakfast, ora poached egg on toast. Forlunch I will make myself acous cous or pasta salad andfor dinner I will have grilledfish and vegetables or make aspaghetti Bolognese.

‘I definitely think aboutwhat I’m eating now. I’malways conscious.’

After dropping from a size18 to a size 12-14, Amy feelsconfident about being able tojoin in with the girls wearingtheir bikinis at the beach andthe little summer dresses thisyear.

‘I just like to be able to goin to a shop and pick up some-thing without worrying howit will look on me,’ she adds.

‘I will definitely be wearingnice summery clothes thisyear.’

Amy’s Slimming Worldclub runs on Mondays at7.30pm, at The Lady of ourLourdes Church hall, inEastney.

Amy Packard is three stones lighter and looking forward to summer. Inset, Amy’s weightballooned to 15 stones after a job sailing around the Greek islands Main picture: Paul Jacobs (111395-4)

Happinesscomes fromacceptingyourselfMANy of us are seekinghappiness but in these stress-ful times it can seem elusive.

In fact, in the last 50 years,according to research, despiteconsiderable advances instandards of living andincome, there’s been noappreciable improvement inpeople’s life satisfaction andhappiness in the UK.

A group of eminent Britishthinkers from the worldsof education, economicsand politics – backed by theDalai Lama – have launcheda mass campaign, Action forHappiness, to halt the nation’spsychological decline.

It’s calling on people tolook at ways to improve theirwellbeing and said a ‘radicalcultural change’ was neededto halt rising levels of unhap-piness.

This focus on happiness isnot just timely but essential,says Dr Mark Atkinson,author of new book, TrueHappiness, which identifiesstrategies to achieve innerand lasting wellbeing.

‘Happiness is one of themaster keys in creating ahealthy body and mind andyet many of us look for happi-ness in the wrong place,’ hesays.

‘We assume that success,status, money, achievements,people, possessions or powerwill bring us happiness. Ofcourse, those factors can anddo influence for better orworse the way we feel, but thiskind of “normal” happinesscomes and goes depending onwhat is happening in our livesand does not deliver lastinghappiness and wellbeing.’

He also believes it’simportant to learn how toaccept and love yourself andcrucially to develop skills tobe able to enjoy life no matterwhat its challenges.

‘It does take effort and awillingness and humility toaccept that we may need tomake changes and maybeaccept, in some cases, that weneed to grow up,’ he adds.

Utthita Parsvakonasanaor extended side angle

Exercise of the weekIMAGE ONE: Start with feet wideapart, right foot turned out, leftfoot slightly turned in, armsparallel to the floor and one kneebent to a right angle. Place ablock or thick book behind yourright foot. Shoulders are relaxed,arms are long. Inhale.IMAGE TWO: Exhale and loweryour right hand onto the block.

Reach your left arm straight up,making sure it stays in line withyour chest and doesn’t fall back.Continue to improve the angle ofthe knee until you’re close to 90

degrees. Press into both feet androtate the left side of the ribcageto open up the chest. Hold forseveral breaths.IMAGE THREE: On an exhalation,

reach your left arm, palm facingdown, over your head so that itforms a diagonal line with yourleft leg. Hold for 15 seconds or aslong as your stamina allows.

Yoga teacher BarbaraHelisova (frombravebodies.com)says this tones thelegs and abdomen andimproves flexibilityof shoulders, hips,knees, inner thighsand ankles.