I had weight loss surgery to Be there for my kids
As we celebrate Mother’s Day today, we want to take a moment to congratulate our patient Emma on her weight loss achievements and dedication to being there for her children. Now being ten stone four, she feels very comfortable and healthier, and she is forever grateful for her Gastric Sleeve.
The biggest motivation behind Emma going down the weight loss surgery route was her auntie, who sadly passed away from Covid 19 and her dedication to becoming a healthy fit mother to her children. Emma’s auntie was 30 stone, and her weight didn’t help, causing damage to her lungs and heart. Being 18 and a half stone herself made her realise that she needed to change her lifestyle; she has two younger children, which is her main priority.
"I just thought I don't want that to be me, and I've got two younger kids, I just thought I want to be the fun young mom that can still run around and play with them, and I want to be there and see them grow up."
Most of Emma's family have suffered from their weight and have always been emotional eaters.
Anytime anyone was upset, it would be “come, let’s go and have something to eat or have a cup of tea and a piece of cake”. It was a cycle that couldn’t be broken, and weight loss surgery was the light at the end of the tunnel.
Emma’s weight loss journey began at Weight Watchers at age 13, and yes, she did lose weight. However, it was a cycle of yoyo dieting and maintaining her weight loss felt unachievable. She felt like she would lose half a pound one week then another pound the next, and she wasn’t noticing any changes and would get down and then turn to food for comfort. But since having the Gastric Sleeve in April 2021, it has been nothing but a positive impact on Emma’s life.
I didn't want to have my weight loss surgery abroad
Research about weight loss surgery is the most crucial step to starting your new life. But, first, you need to be sure you are with the right weight loss provider. Do they have an aftercare team? Do they have an App? Dietitian support? And most importantly, a surgeon you can trust. Before contacting Healthier Weight, Emma spoke to one of her friends who had previously had weight loss surgery in Turkey, but she knew she didn’t want to go abroad, especially having kids. She wanted to feel safe and at home.
“The reason was because of safety and aftercare. You hear a lot of horror stories from going abroad, but I didn’t want to risk it” – Emma.
Healthier Weight made me feel comfortable
Before deciding to have lifelong support with Healthier Weight, Emma researched different providers. As soon as she spoke to our weight loss experts, every question was answered, and she felt very comfortable. For Emma, that was very important, and rightly so as this is more than just your operation day; it is about the support after that determines your lifelong weight loss success.
Consultation with Mr Rishi Singhal
Emma’s consultation with Mr Rishi Singhal was successful; they both discussed her current lifestyle, how she felt, and what would benefit her long term. Mr Singhal discussed all the possible procedures, but they agreed that the Gastric Sleeve would be best for Emma.
“He was fantastic, a very nice man, and he answered all my questions, and I couldn’t fault him” – Emma.
Emma's life begins!
The day Emma had her operation, she was 17 stone, and she lost a whole stone and half on her pre-op diet, which is phenomenal! The first week after her Gastric Sleeve operation, she lost 9 pounds and following that; she was losing 4/5 pounds every week. Now ten stone four, she feels very comfortable with herself.
In just under one year, what Emma can now achieve is remarkable, and she has shown that anything is possible! She now goes to the gym at least twice a week, but being a full-time working mom, it is not easy to fit everything in, but she still puts her mind to achieving her healthier long-term goal. By day Emma works at a supermarket and works 10-hour shifts, and there is a lot of running about and by the end of the day, she completes 20-25 thousand steps!
It's more than just weight loss surgery
Enjoying quality time with her kids has been a massive highlight on Emma’s weight loss surgery journey, and even the simple things in life, such as going on a walk, is something she is now enjoying with her family.
Before weight loss surgery, walking up a hill used to be a struggle, and she used to be left behind. But now, she runs to the top with her kids and husband and sees the benefits of bariatric surgery.
“Now my kids say, mom, you are much happier” – Emma.
My weight used to get me down
Despite having an outgoing personality and being confident to the outside world, everyone would think Emma was happy with her weight before weight loss surgery. But behind closed doors, her husband and Nan would see that her weight used to affect Emma mentally and physically.
“I was the loudest one in the room, but that was just a persona; it wasn’t how I was actually feeling.” – Emma.
Like most of us in life, when we are going on a night out with girls, we like to dress up and feel confident, but before weight loss surgery, Emma would change her outfit about ten times until she felt comfortable. Now that isn’t a worry anymore, Emma is a confident, inspiring woman who puts on what she wants to wear!
My life used to revolve around food for the wrong reasons.
You have to understand that a lot of work goes into the process. It is a complete change of lifestyle from the food you can eat, your protein intake, and overall changing your mindset and relationship with food. Before surgery, Emma’s whole life revolved around food; if they were celebrating, it was “come on, let’s go and have something to eat”, or if she felt down, it was the same “Let’s eat”. Going out for meals would consist of drinks, a dinner, puddings, then snacks when she got home. Emma explains that it was out of boredom, but she has changed her whole relationship with food after surgery. That is the beauty behind the Gastric Sleeve. It helps you with your long-term healthy lifestyle, no more stopping and starting, just a continued journey of maintaining her weight loss success.
There are challenging days, but the only difference is that now Emma is in control of her food intake and knows what is suitable for her body. She has noticed that she may slip up the week before her period, “I crave a bit of chocolate”. – Emma
Since surgery, her body doesn’t react well anymore with chocolate, but if she wants something a bit sweet, she goes for a protein bar which is a healthier option. We are exceptionally proud to see one of our patients see the beneficial factors of weight loss surgery; it isn’t just about losing weight; it is also about making the right food choices.
I inspired my friend to have weight loss surgery
Emma was open about her weight loss surgery journey. She put a message out to her friends on Facebook, she had a few mixed comments, but from research, she knew that surgery was the best option for her to achieve her healthier weight.
Following Emma being confident and open about her journey at Healthier Weight led to inspiring her friend to go ahead with bariatric surgery!
“She was messaging asking if I regret anything and how I felt in myself; I said don’t get me wrong, some days are harder than others, but I just have to remind myself why I have done it and want to be there for my kids! She said if she didn’t witness my transformation, she wouldn’t have gone through it if it wasn’t for me.” – Emma.
Onwards and upwards
Since her eight stone weight loss, Emma has a lot to look forward to; going to London and celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary with her husband is definitely one of them. She can actually walk around without being out of breath and no more stopping because her feet her hurting. Also, attending her brother’s wedding this year, feeling good in photos, and buying a nice outfit is what Emma looks forward to! This is more than just weight loss surgery; this is feeling good at family events and no longer feeling like she was the biggest in the room like she once did.
We are incredibly proud of Emma and her weight loss success. We pay tribute to her today on Mother’s Day to her dedication to becoming a healthier mom for her children. We can’t wait to hear about your upcoming events and your lifelong, healthier lifestyle.