I met Sam a few years ago, when she had first come to our facility to get some help with losing weight, and improving her health. She is a remarkable person, with a massive dose of determination and highly intelligent. Sometimes sharing your story makes you realise how far you have come. This story, if you are out there wanting to lose weight, I hope will help you, motivate and inspire you and influence you to take that first step forward to a better and healthier life.
I asked Sam to write about her experiences because she has a great way with words, and I really wanted to help people, who are out there struggling to find how to take the first step. I have seen Sam’s struggles and her successes and I could not be more proud of what she has achieved.
The Skinny on My Weight Loss (Blog # 1) 12/03/2017
Hi! My name’s Samantha… and I’m half the woman I used to be! Let me explain. In 2014 I weighed 183kg. I could barely function, barely move and I existed rather than lived. I took enough medication to fell an elephant, I had to order in my groceries because I couldn’t sustain standing or moving for any length of time. I broke furniture and felt completely alone.
It wasn’t always so but nor was I ever petite. In my early 20s I was a healthy size 14. At my heaviest at the age of 40 something I was a size 34. And that’s when it hit me, I was never going to change, at least not on my own. I realised that binge-eating and over eating were a life time’s habit and despite so many attempts I simply was never going to get the weight off and keep it off without help. So!… I had Gastric Bypasss Surgery. Of all bariatric treatments I call this the grandaddy/mummy of them all. Basically your digestive system gets cut and pasted. The outcome is that the amount of food you can eat is reduced, and that you digest less calories. The type of food you eat effects you too – if you eat anything too fatty or sugary you’ll feel very unwell. This helped kickstart my weight loss by allowing me to lose sufficient weight to be able to exercise.
I’d lost 53kg when I walked in to Vector Health. One special gym friend in her no holes barred character said when she saw me walk in she thought “how is that lady ever going to be able to exercise”. I’d heard of a program called Stronger for Longer targeted at helping people with chronic health issues to get strong and fit. Little did I know I would be the youngest of all the group. Being morbidly obese put me in the same health status category of the more mature community. Oh but you couldn’t ask for a nicer bunch of people. All full of cheek, I became something of a pet project and I’d like to think a friend to this gorgeous bunch of people. To this day I am greeted with hugs and hellos when I walk into my gym. I can’t tell you how motivating that’s been for me at times.
With the help of personal trainers, exercise physiologists & physiotherapists at Vector Health I lost a further 47kg meaning I lost 100kg! I was left with an abdominal apron of loose skin which I had removed. Unfortunately my wound broke down so I had to have four surgeries instead of one. I’ve also had to have time off from gym from injuries. It’s tough to get back into it. You go through a stage of wishing you could go, then you quite like the break, and then comes the time you are now capable of going but you just “don’t wanna”… and then one day you just do it. I’ve put my gym clothes out the night before; set the alarm to attend a class as a social reason for going; and when I wake up I take small steps and after each one I say to myself “well I’ve come this far, I’ll just do this next little bit” & before I know it I’m parked outside the gym thinking “well I’ve come this far, I’d better walk in”.
One of my biggest life goals occurred when I ran in the 2015 Rocky River Run with the help of my then coach at Vector, Leah Benson. At something like eight months pregnant she ran the 5km with me, encouraging me all the way. My family were there to cheer me on with both my nieces wearing t-shirts that read “Go” and “Aunty”! Vector manager, Glenn, Miche & little Emma & their dog were there to cheer me on. Then during the last ten metres of my run, my ten year old niece ran onto the course and went through the finish line with me. Friends and family celebrated with me that day – it was a beautiful response to a great personal achievement that meant the world to me.
After some personal challenges I recently regained 20kg. That’s right folks, even bariatric surgery requires a tonne of willpower to manage. Of those 20, I have re-lost 9kg and I aim to get back to where I was at my most recent smallest – 80kg. These last 11kgs are proving a doozy! Part of my motivation at the moment is to run in the Rocky River Run again this year. The lighter I am the less I have to lug around for 5km. Wish me luck!
My very best wishes with your own weight loss/fitness/wellbeing goals.
If you need or want to lose weight and want a system, and support to do this, you can fill in our contact form below and we will ring you to schedule time for a complimentary consultation about how we can help you.