Collaboration and inspiration: how Eatwise helped Dave ‘get himself back’

Dave Appleby has recently completed the 12-session Eatwise programme with Wellbeing for Life (WBFL). He has lost 53 lbs, he and his family now eat a healthy diet and exercise more and his mental health has been turned around. The process has also highlighted a heart condition which he is now receiving treatment for.

His first encounter with WBFL was in September 2024 following a case of whooping cough earlier in the year. When combined with the effects of a previous case of Covid-19 David was struggling with viral fatigue and his mental wellbeing was spiralling downwards.

David Roberts, Wellbeing for Life Practitioner (left), and Dave Appleby (right).

When first meeting Dave, it is instantly apparent that he is a big character with a great sense of humour. So, it is hard to imagine that when he first met with Wellbeing for Life Practitioner David Roberts, he said he would have described himself as ‘grey’ and not himself.

Dave said of the time: “I told my GP, ‘I don’t think I’m depressed, but I’m just not myself’. I knew I wanted to lose weight but didn’t know where to start and I needed a coach to help me.” He added that he’d always had healthy eating habits up to Covid-19 but that he’d struggled with fatigue and motivation since.

Dave’s GP referred him to WBFL, and his first appointment was on the telephone. He let David know that he'd much prefer face-to-face appointments and that was quickly arranged.

Dave said: “My first in person appointment was like a sliding door moment, David made all my goals believable and achievable – it suddenly felt so doable.”

As part of the 12-session Eatwise programme, everyone is provided with a range of healthy recipes and meal suggestions along with support and advice to help make informed choices when shopping for food. Dave went a step further and took over all food preparation in the family home and has been busy creating his own healthy recipes, which he loves to share with David.

David from WBFL said: “This has been a collaboration. We connected on a professional and personal level and the sessions have not felt like work. Dave has been a pleasure to work with, not to mention the lovely healthy snacks he brings with him to each session!”

Dave said: “Every week I was inspired to stick to my plan because I didn’t want to disappoint David. I worked to achieve the goals he had set and then set my own, just to make sure.”

David said about when he first met Dave: “He didn’t come across as a meek or shy bloke, but he was subdued when we first met. I’d say that, by the third session, his real personality was starting to shine through.”

One of the things that Dave says made him feel like he’d ‘got himself back’ was when he managed to get his wedding ring on for the first time in years because his fingers had slimmed down.

A family man at heart, Dave is married to Ashley (who he fondly calls The Warden) and has two sons, Jack aged 17 and Luke aged 16. They have all enjoyed the benefits of the programme, the healthy meals particularly but also the gym at Healthworks. Ashley and Jack have both joined and Luke has his induction booked now he’s turned 16. Dave makes use of the facility five days a week.

It was whilst working out that Dave, who has a family history of heart disease, began to realise that everything wasn’t quite right and he was experiencing a burning pain in his chest after a few minutes of cardiovascular work. Ignoring Ashley’s advice to visit his GP, he told David at his next appointment.

Dave said: “I was told in no uncertain terms that I must go to my GP for a checkup. It was at the GP, following blood tests, that I was sent to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic. Following further tests, I was signed off work from my job as a bus driver, pending further investigations.”

Dave added: “If it wasn’t for the programme and the firm advice from David, I’d have continued to ignore my health and family history of heart disease!”

Dave described his time with Wellbeing for Life as so much more than a weight loss programme and told how he always feels so much better and emotionally supported when he walks out afterwards. “My mood has lifted; I’m feeling mischievous again and would describe myself as rainbow coloured rather than grey now,” he laughed.

He said: “The whole process has been enlightening; it has pulled me back and has been worth every minute of my time. I’m now keen to volunteer my time to the service – I want to give back some of what I’ve gained. Thank you, David!”

Wellbeing for Life is a part of Adult Wellbeing Services, delivered in partnership by Pioneering Care Partnership and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.