Hi, my name is Danielle and I am a 33 year old married mum of 3. I have struggled with my weight all my life, and after I had my first child at the age of 22, I weighed 117kg. I never seemed to be able to lose weight successfully. I would try different diets, including low fat, but to no avail. I was always tired and moody, but put it down to being a new mum who wasn’t getting a lot of sleep. I would skip breakfast thinking this would help shed some kilos, and sometimes even skip lunch, only to be ravenous at about 4pm when I would shove anything that contained sugar into my mouth because I was so hungry. This became a vicious cycle, and if anything I put on more weight.

After I had my third child at age 27, my weight peaked at about 125kg and for about 5 years after that, that was the weight I stayed. I made excuses that I had no time for myself as I had a family to look after, and my health was the last thing on my mind.. I really did just resign myself to the fact that I was just meant to be fat! I thought how lucky I was to have a beautiful loving husband and family who loved me the way I was, so why should I bother trying to lose weight any more?

It was at about this time that my mother in law started seeing a doctor at the Sandra Cabot clinic in Camden for her hormone problems. She told me they also specialised in weight loss, so I decided I had nothing to lose (pardon the pun!) and booked in to see Sheree. I didn’t really think anything I did would help my weight problem because I believed I had tried everything, but Sheree has literally saved my life. With a family history of heart problems, I knew my weight would end up probably causing a heart attack or worse. Once on Sheree’s diet, I never went hungry and found the eating plan quite easy to stick too, especially when the results were so quick. I knew I had to be in it for the long haul, considering the amount I needed to lose. I was shocked when after

2 weeks I had lost 6 kilos, and after 14 months my weight was down to 75kg.

I had lost an amazing 50 kg!! And I only had 7 kg to my goal weight of 68 kg.

My life has changed so dramatically. I can now sit on a plane and not have to ask for an extender belt. I can go on rides at theme parks and walk past the fairy floss stand with ease! My kids don’t have to defend me at school any more from other kids telling them their mum is fat. My youngest son can easily put his arms around my waist and just the other day told me he likes having a hot mum!! I can walk in to any shop I like and feel confident that the clothes will fit. My husband has also lost over 30 kg and together we feel like completely different people. We have been together for 14 years and have never known each other as being thin! So while all our middle aged friends are putting on weight, every time they see us we are getting smaller and smaller. It’s fantastic!

I hope my story can help inspire others. I’m not saying there were days when I didn’t go off the rails, but you have to constantly picture the end result. If I can do it, anyone can!! You have to stop making excuses and realise that you are in control of your own body and what you put into it.

Once you get into this mindset, everything else falls into place. And if you can make time for exercise, it really will change your life. I hated exercise of any type! Even walking would exhaust me. I waited till I had lost about 30 kilos before I attempted doing anything physical, but I wish I had started earlier. I now go to the gym about 4 times a week doing cardio and weights, which is very important, especially for women my age. The trick is to start slowly and gradually build up to 45 minutes to an hour, 4-5 times a week. Not only will it help tone (and people who have lost large amounts of weight need to tone to help with excess skin) but it makes you feel so energised. This sounds ironic I know, but you just feel so good after a workout. So find a gym that does a personal program just for you, as this makes a huge difference.

I can’t speak highly enough about the Sandra Cabot clinic and especially Sheree. My life is so completely different and I feel so much better, not only because I look better, but I feel so much healthier and have so much more energy. Anyone with a weight problem who feels they have tried everything should make an appointment. You won’t regret it.

Thanks for your time,

Danielle Hargreaves.