Operation Transformation is back, which means it's time to break out the leggings, clear the head, and set some goals for the new year.
To help viewers get motivated for 2023, five inspiring Leaders from across the country will take the lead by embracing a health and wellness plan with the aim of resetting and kick-starting a new chapter in their lives.
This year our Leaders are; Stephanie Bowden, Andrea Daly, Thomas Hynes, Lorraine Dempsey, and Marie Clear.
Now entering its 16th series, the show has continued to evolve each year with 72% of viewers who tuned into the show last season saying they were motivated to make one or more changes to improve their health.
The evolution continues this year with the focus still very much on overall health and well-being. The leaders will have a weekly health check-in where 14 health indicators, will be monitored. These include upper body strength, balance, lower body strength, and cardiovascular adding to the usual hydration, blood pressure, metabolic age, weight, general health, nutrition, and movement, among others.
During the series, Professor Niall Moyna will also highlight the importance of everyday movement and how best to utilise outdoor amenities when it comes to daily exercise.
To kick things off, Dietitian Sophie Pratt, Dr. Sumi Dunne, Dr. Eddie Murphy, and fitness expert Karl Henry met with each of the Leaders to take in their measurements and assess their metabolic ages before making a plan to move forward.
Stephanie Bowden
Age: 31
Metabolic age: 46
Body composition: 19 stone 3 lbs
Notes from the OT experts
Stephanie is a mother of two who coaches soccer at Crumlin United and holds a UEFA soccer coaching license. This year, she aims to get her fitness back and play the game like she used to.
Dietitian Sophie Pratt told Stephanie that she would help her to adjust her diet for times when she is less active and off the pitch compared to when she is actively working out.
Dr. Sumi Dunne reminded Stephanie that her previous thyroid issues will likely have impacted her metabolic rate leading to excess weight gain and that she should be kind and patient with herself along this journey.
Thomas Hynes
Age: 55
Metabolic age: 65
Body composition: 14 stone 9 lbs
Notes from the OT experts
Following a heart attack five years ago, Thomas has gone through a lot of rehab work to make his way to a full recovery but says he needs to make some lifestyle habits in order to live life to the fullest.
Karl Henry noted that viewers may be surprised to see Thomas on the show, reinforcing the fact that weight is not the only indicator of good health. When it comes to heart health, there are numerous factors involved such as cholesterol levels.
Following some tests, Dr. Sumi told Thomas that his LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (sometimes called the "bad" cholesterol) was over four, so his target is to get it down to below two.
Marie Clear
Age: 32
Metabolic age: 65
Body composition: 10 stone 3 lbs
Notes from the OT experts
Marie was born with Achondroplasia - a genetic condition that slows down the growth of bone in the cartilage of the growth plate - and says that her independence is extremely important to her, meaning she wants to be in the best of health.
Marie's OT plan will be adapted to take account of her profile and she is meeting with fitness experts to get a bespoke plan that includes strength and cardiovascular work as well as rest and recovery time.
Karl noted that Marie's visceral fat (fat that surrounds the internal organs) was at 14 so he would like to see her work to get that below 13.
A smoker since she was 14, Dr. Sumi says quitting cigarettes will have a big impact on her overall health.
In terms of her mental health, Marie told Dr. Eddie that she feels that she "has cameras on her the whole time" as people stare at her in public so often, sometimes trying to take unsolicited photos, while others have even tried to lift her up during night's out. This has left Marie feeling incredibly nervous to venture too far from home.
Lorraine Dunne
Age: 42
Body composition: 15 stone 2 lbs
Notes from the OT experts
Primary school principal Lorraine Dempsey juggles a very busy house as well as a busy career. Exercise and movement used to play a huge part in the mum of three's routine, but says she has fallen out of the habit in the last two years.
Rather than looking at the metabolic age, Karl focused on Lorraine's lower body health, noting that she was able to do 14 sit-stands over the course of 30 seconds. Going forward, he says that she should work towards being able to do 19.
Lorraine told Dietitian Sophie Pratt that she eats when she's "bored, stressed, hungry, tired", which Sophie said was very relatable to many of us, especially those who struggled during the pandemic, but that it is possible to build a different relationship with food.
Andrea Daly
Age: 38
Body composition: 14 stone 9 lbs
Notes from the OT experts
Wicklow woman Andrea Daly lives in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, with her husband Joe and their three children Alex, Ryan, and Macy. Their eldest son, Dylan, was born in 2005 with Cerebral Palsy. Following Dylan's birth Andrea and Joe, who were in their early 20s at the time, became his full-time carers.
Sadly, in January 2019, at the age of 13, Dylan passed away. The loss of Dylan has left a huge void in all of their lives. Now Andrea wants to get her spark back and bring some fun to the family.
As Andrea is suffering through grief, and coming up to the anniversary of her son's death, the experts encouraged her to be kind to herself and take things as slow and steady as possible.
