Blyth man loses 4 st 7 lb to aid his stroke recovery, allowing return to gardening

Seventy-one-year-old retiree Roger Winslow managed to go from a 50 inch waist to a 38 inch waist with exercise and cutting down on unhealthy foods.

Having been hospitalised for six weeks following a stroke 14 years ago, Roger felt he had to do something about his health, but it was in 2016 that he decided to make a proper attempt at losing weight.

He joined a Blyth weight loss group run by Slimming World that February as well as improving his diet.

Where he used to frequent takeaways and snack on biscuits, crisps, and cheese all the time.

Roger said: “Gone are the takeaways now. I do not touch biscuits and limit chips.

“I eat lots of chicken, fish, and vegetables now together with fruit and low fat foods.”

He has gone from being unable to exercise, walk long distances, and feeling lethargic to walking every day and going to the gym.

His fitness drive has played a part in his continuing stroke recovery.

“Over the past few years I have gone to a lot of rehab, speech therapy and various other classes.

“I still have problems with walking and remembering things but I'm still here and intend to be for a long time.

“Losing weight gave me a lot more movement, enabling me to start doing a lot of walking and exercise.

“I loved gardening before the stroke but was unable to do it. Now I spend most of my free time in my greenhouse, albeit I have a small chair to sit down on.

“I'm still unsteady on my feet, but if you try you can do it.”

Eating more fibre and fish, less salt, exercising more, and keeping weight to a healthy level can all help to reduce the risk of stroke.

This is because carrying too much weight increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes, all of which contribute to higher stroke risk.

World Stroke Day, a day for raising awareness of the risk of strokes, is Friday, October 29.