ANITA

After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting I could tell you all the ins and outs of each fad and endorsed diet there is out there! I have tried them all with varying degrees of success. The only constant was the sense of hard work, will power and ultimate failure as my weight went up again.

I never thought I would thank my aching feet, knees and back for spurring me on to take some control again. This time was different. Nervously and self consciously I made the first appointment. From there my life began to change. With the support of the professional team at the Institute of Weight Control and the Circle of Care philosophy, my life began to turn around literally. It was not always easy but I had a team behind me all the way, also I had a very serious commitment to making this time different.

The post surgery left me tender but nowhere near as painful as those feet, knees and back! Sure there was lots of willpower involved missing out on treats all those rewards I previously allotted myself. I had doubt I could do it this time, all I had to do was look at the photos.

I started at the gym, kept my follow-up appointments and took the dog for frequent walks. I ate my smaller meals and my weight began to shift rapidly. 19 months ago I avoided social functions, hated meeting new people for fear they would see me as the fat person no a real person underneath the fat. I worked from home and had no confidence to seek a new job for fear of yet another failure.

Today I am 51kgs lighter, my entire life is different. I exercise daily, eat well and still have an odd break-out, however my new look, new job and new self confidence keeps the break-outs to a minimum.

In conclusion, the decision to have the gastric banding at the Institute of Weight Control has changed my life in all aspects, I am happier, healthier and have a future I would not have expected to have id I had not lost the weight.