Operation Transformation

Operation Transformation

 

Kiltimagh Operation Transformation recommenced on 4th Jan 2017, when over 300 people assembled in the Park Hotel to sign up with our 8 enthusiastic leaders. Each Team leader has their weight recorded and revealed every Wednesday night (team members weight is kept confidential).  Thanks to Clare and staff  of the Park Hotel for providing the venue each week.

The team leaders and their teams are also raising money for their chosen charities. There are sponsorship cards in circulation or donations can be given to the leaders or any committee member.

L – R on photo

Katie Duffy Every Life Counts

Tom Lavelle Mayo/Roscommon Hospice

Michael Moran Sensory Garden for St. Johns Kiltimagh

Bridie Clendon Kiltimagh Tidy Towns

Darren Turtill Pieta House

Alison Moore The Alzheimer’s society

Anna Marie Lavin The Cope Foundation

Jennifer Morley Mayo/Roscommon Hospice

We got off to a great start with all the leaders organising walks, dance classes, aqua aerobics, cycles (for all abilities), early morning workouts,  scavenger hunt, football skills, basketball, yogalates, to name but a few activities. The Saturday morning and Monday evening 5k walks are very popular again this year preceded by Avril “the hips” warm up!  A special word of thanks to SuperValu for sponsoring water for the Saturday  morning walk,  to the Ward family for manning the water station and to Gary Smyth of Heneghan’s pharmacy for sponsoring the lovely pink high vis bibs ensuring we are all seen while out on our various activities, day or night.

Participants enjoyed two very informative talks by local ladies, Dietician Aisling Byrne who informed us all of the dos and don’ts of our new lifestyle change….. Remember “you cannot outrun a bad diet” and Psychologist Dr Jane McNicholas, who talked to us about comfort eating and ways of overcoming it.

Thank you ladies.

Week after week the weight loss has been phenomenal and so far to date we have lost an incredible total of 699lbs and there are still two weeks to go before the “Big Reveal Night” on Fri 17th February in the park Hotel.

But Operation Transformation is not just about losing weight, it is a lifestyle change, it is about getting out and about with members of our community, young and old. It is about making new friends. It is about trying out new activities. It is about having fun while getting healthier and fitter and hopefully we will be encourage to continue on with our new lifestyle throughout the year.

A big thank you to our MC Brenda McNicholas, to our “Weigh in Ladies” Bernie Corry, Bernie Byrne, Marcella McDonnell and Avril FordeMcGreal who are there every week to record all our weights.

Thanks also to Carroll’s Londis and Kiltimagh medical centre for your generous sponsorship.

-OPERATION TRANSFORMATION 2016–

A Mayo man has become the biggest success story of this year’s Operation Transformation after shifting three stone in the seven weeks since the programme began.

Michael Moran (43) from Kiltimagh will be credited for his astonishing transformation on tomorrow’s final episode of the show after losing 40lb to date in his local group.

“It’s brilliant to be mentioned on the show and it was great to hear that I’m, so far, the biggest loser. It’s great to be recognised.
“I found the whole programme very good. We did our own version of the programme down in Kiltimagh and I’ve lost 40lb since January 4th

“I feel a lot better for it,” he said.

The tiling contractor and part-time fireman revealed that tips from a local dietitian in Mayo helped him recognise how damaging his diet was to his health.
At the beginning a local dietitian Aisling Byrne came in and kind of set out the dos and don’ts of eating well and to be honest with you I was doing a lot of the don’ts.

“I was eating a lot of white bread, sometimes up to eight slices a day and that alone was a terrible habit, no matter everything else I was doing.

“I’ve tackled that and am trying to just eat healthier all around and have more salads and lighter dishes.“When I started the programme I weighed 19 stone 3lb so to be more than three stone down is fantastic. I think the programme has changed my routines for the better and hopefully for the long run,” he said.

Although Michael has always been active, he revealed that his problems with weight have been associated with his poor diet and weight piled on when he gave up smoking more than a decade ago.“I gave up smoking about 15 years ago and I piled on about four stone at that point that I just never lost. Although I’ve always been fairly active, my diet was always the killer.

“I always run the local Race for Glory at home, which is a 40km adventure race, but this year I will be doing it a lot lighter. Dr. Eddie has promised to do it with us this year which should be great.The slim-line dad revealed that Operation Transformation is responsible for more than just weight loss, and has given the local town of Kiltimagh a sense of spirit and revival.“Last year an article in The Irish Times called Kiltimagh a half-dead rural town, but if they could see how this programme has brought the community together they’d change their minds.“There’s so many people out walking together in high-vis jackets, supporting one another. Local scouts are setting up water stations along the way and there is such community spirit.“We’re hoping that the local group breaks off into little groups so we can keep the movement and change going.“It’s been fantastic. One local woman Nuala Timlon, who is in a wheelchair, was a local leader down here and she’s lost almost a stone which has inspired us all to keep on going with it long after the programme comes to an end.”





St. Aiden's National School at the start of their operation transformation walk.