I honestly didn't have a weight problem in my younger years, I had put weight on after settling down with my wife, I dieted and lost it, then put it back on, dieted once more and lost it again, stopped dieting and then put it back on and some more, then I did the Atkins diet lost it again and then put it back on ! Same again with the Lighter life diet and the Cambridge diet. Lost it all and put it all back on and quite a bit more.
I had difficulty breathing and got pains in my knees when walking upstairs, I also had problem reaching my shoes to tie my laces it was Nov/Dec 2014 and I vowed I would do something about my weight once and for all if the scales tipped 20 stone, then over the Xmas period the scales tipped into the 20 stone bracket, then the final straw was a colleague took a picture of me on a forklift and posted it on social media, saying they believe I had exceeded the weight lifting capacity of the forklift ! And had asked my colleagues to comment on social media if I had done so, humiliated I booked an appointment at my doctors to seek help about my weight, I went and he offered me diet and exercise classes, I asked about a gastric band on the NHS and he refused.
In Jan 2015 I saw an advert on TV that featured Tina Malone the actress that played Mimi Maguire the brash gobby bird from Shameless, who by listening to the advert whom had a gastric band, I thought OMG if She can do it then I could, I turned to the wife and said I could have one of those, She agreed that I could, so I went onto the Internet and filled in an expression of interest on THG website, I then spoke to an advisor and booked a free consultation with a surgeon, I asked loads of questions and decided it was for me and booked it, My operation date was booked for the 18/3/2015, I weighed in at 20stone 2lb over the next 18 months with support and band fills I lost almost 9 stone, now I currently weigh 11stone 6lb, it fluctuates naturally between 11 stone 4lb and 11 stone 8lb, if I get to 11stone 8 I then cut back on my calorie intake and then I carry on
I was 47 in May I honestly haven't felt better
Thanks to Greg for sharing this honest and amazing story with us all - Well Done a true inspiration xx
members of
