My story
“I realised my weight was out of control, when I was away skiing with my family and couldn’t enjoy the activities they were doing; then, to make matters worse, I ended up in hospital with gall stones!” says 29 year old Danielle Brook of Birmingham, who has been constantly battling with her weight in recent years.
For Danielle, the skiing holiday was her ‘moment of truth’, when she realised that she had to do something about her weight, as it was affecting her health and well-being. She explains how she had tried so many branded diets and weight loss programmes, eating at a certain time, avoiding certain foods, and not eating at night, but nothing worked.
After much internet research and exploration, Danielle decided to opt for the ReShape Duo weight loss programme, offered exclusively by Healthier Weight. Her starting weight back in January 2012 was 13 stone 3 pounds; she is now four months into the programme and has lost almost 3 stone, weighing a healthy 10 stone 4.5 lbs. “It’s worked for me and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone else” she says.*
She admits that, after the initial procedure when the dual balloon was inserted, she ignored advice and guidance from the Healthier Weight team relating to portion sizes, slipped back into old eating habits of consuming larger quantities of the wrong types of food, and made herself ill in the process. Despite this setback, Healthier Weight personnel were extremely supportive; “they got me back on track and, since this unfortunate episode, my weight is continuing to come off and the results are amazing*” she beams.
Immediately following the ReShape Duo weight loss procedure, patients are put on a diet of liquids for a week, followed by two weeks of pureed food, and then they can return to eating normally, though the balloon helps significantly limit food quantity. Once Danielle had fully embraced the ReShape Duo eating programme, she found that it was, in fact, extremely easy to follow. “Now my body just craves fruit, vegetables, salad and fish over the takeaways I used to want before” she says. “If you listen to what your body is telling you, the process is easy” she adds. Healthier Weight provided everything Danielle needed to be successful on the programme from diet and exercise plans, to advice, information and guidance*.
Since losing weight, as far as her health is concerned, Danielle has noticed significant changes. Her asthma is now reduced, her cholesterol is down, she feels much better and increased energy levels mean that she can do much more than before her treatment began. “I wasn’t comfortable at the gym because I was so much bigger than everyone else there. I was embarrassed about my size, but now I am one of the skinniest in the class!” she says*.
Danielle’s image and style have also changed, thanks to her weight loss on the ReShape Duo programme*. No more is she found in dark coloured, loose fitting, longer length clothes to disguise her weight; these days, this dedicated follower of fashion is out and about wearing the latest bright colours, coupled with high heels and a shorter hemline that flatters her new figure.
Danielle’s weight loss has given a boost to her confidence at work and, with a career in healthcare, it is important for her to be seen to set a good example. As for romance… “There have certainly been some wolf whistles lately, and a lot of flirting going on, which hasn’t happened in a long time. So, romance could be on its way” she smiles.
As far as Danielle is concerned, the ReShape Duo has helped her ‘banish the bingo wings’. She now enjoys taking part in exercise such as Zumba, Yoga, and Spin classes. “No one can deny the results, it’s been amazing. I would fully recommend the ReShape Duo programme for anyone looking to lose between 1 and 3 stone” she says*. Though, she adds that it is vitally important for people not just to rely on the dual balloon itself, but also to re-consider eating habits and exercise in order to get the full benefit of the procedure, as she has done.