My personal ‘Gut Regime’

It’s three weeks since I took myself in hand and went to Grayshott Manor Spa in Hindhead Surrey. During my 40’s my health wasn’t great (but I managed) and by my early to mid-fifties I felt my body was falling apart, and there still wasn’t time to stop and draw breath and take stock, until now. As I’m rapidly approaching my sixties it frustrates me that my eighty plus year old Mum is far faster, fitter and slimmer than me.

For the life of me I couldn’t work why my weight kept creeping ever up and up as I didn’t over eat and when out in company often people commented that I ate less than them, however the weight continued to load up until I reached my heaviest weight ever and being as short as I am, this wasn’t good news.

I found Grayshott Manor last year (April 2016) and as a newbie to a Spa resort I wasn’t brave enough to sign up to the Gut regime, until now; however last year’s visit did encourage me to do so, in fact almost a year on from my original visit.

I can only praise the 7 day Gut Regime course. A lot of what is discussed in lectures I knew but had let slip whilst being too busy at work etc, some evidence and specific scientific points were new to me and I did agree with the suggested eating plan.

The food is superb, I mean completely off the scale good, being waited on at table also helps hugely, not having to think, shop, prepare food, cook: a hidden blessing! All I had to do choose from the menu offered.

The spa treatments and therapists made me feel pampered and special and during any free time I turned back into my 6 year old self becoming a mermaid in the pool. And my fellow Regimer’s were awesome; all there for a variety of reasons, mostly personal health issues. Our group of 14 gelled well. Even on days when we fasted, we sat after the Bone Broth supper talking, mostly about food and what we were learning.

On our final day, the final weigh in bought amazing results. The men lost more weight in 7 days than the women, however some of these women’s losses were equally amazing. I lost a lot of weight in 7 days; it’s staggering and likely all fluid; however the significant impact I saw was that the inflammation and swelling in my arthritic left knee significantly and noticeably abated.

Just this single result alone is sufficient reason for doing the Regime and my original driving force to sign up. I’ve a two pronged attack this summer, either get match fit and slimmer ready for the big knee operation later this year or if I lose sufficient weight just maybe I can postpone and hold off this huge operation as my lovely Surgeon has requested me to do.

This is the start of my journey. My new clean eating regime at home. A bit like learning to ride your bicycle for the first time without stabilizers…