After a shock prostate cancer diagnosis in April 2015 at 52 years of age, Anthony took some much needed time to recover on the Sunshine Coast after his operation. While he was recuperating, he found himself overindulging in food for comfort, recovering from the huge impact his diagnosis had on his life.

After trying other diets in the past with no long term results, Anthony realised it was time to draw a line in the sand and make some changes to his lifestyle.

“The day I came home from the coast, I thought this is ridiculous, I’m too young to die. I have three children and a wonderful wife, I’m too young for them to lose me,” says Anthony. “I was at a turning point. I went to the mailbox and there was a card from LifeShape Clinic. After remembering a friend had previously completed the program, I jumped on the phone and made an appointment straight away.”

Even from the very beginning of his program, Anthony was committed to setting and reaching healthy goals with help from the team.

“I’m an accountant, so I know what you can measure, you can manage,” says Anthony. “I was completely focused on getting healthy, and the accountability of the program was great. I’d tried other programs before, but always gained the weight back. Other programs are nowhere near as supportive as this one.”

What constantly impressed Anthony about the program was the comprehensive approach to healthy weight loss and lifestyle changes.

“Put simply, it’s just complete,” states Anthony. “From the start, the program was all encompassing. The professional approach included an appointment with a LifeShape doctor and full blood testing. My Exercise Physiologist also helped me understand the most effective intensity I needed to exercise in to burn fat. I also received a FitBit health device and food diary as part of the program. The client manual is also a fantastic resource which was useful each week to review. Nothing about the program is rushed, you go through the modules at a sensible rate each week.”

With his focus, Anthony was quick to see positive results and looked forward to his weekly appointments at the clinic.

“I’m the first to admit the results were pretty awesome,” says Anthony. “It was great to share these wins with my family who were incredibly supportive of the changes I was making in my life. I feel like my relationships with my wife and kids are so much better now. They are proud, and think I’ve done a great job.”

There were some hurdles to overcome along the way, but with the help from the LifeShape team Anthony was able to customise some strategies that worked for his lifestyle.

“Changing my diet was tough in the beginning. However, it was more about breaking bad habits, such as eating for the sake of eating or picking at foods,” admits Anthony. “I actually quite liked the LifeShape meal replacements. Not only did they help take the complexity out of what I was doing, but after having one at breakfast or lunch, I looked forward to coming home to enjoy an evening meal with my family. It was great to have the confidence in a medically supervised program that I was still getting all the vitamins and minerals my body needed, compared shakes you might find at a retail store.”

Throughout his journey, Anthony complemented his LifeShape program with support from an exercise and lifestyle challenge group, which has helped him fully embrace physical activity.

“Every day, I incorporate an hour of activity into my day,” says Anthony. “I enjoy training with my wife or going for early morning walks together. Four times a week we workout with a group at Roma Street Parklands. I think my success is down to three things; the support from my clinical team, support from my family and support from my fitness group.”

Anthony admits that before joining the program, he knew what to do to eat healthy, but had no accountability and needed a framework to help him stay on track.

“Looking back, I didn’t see myself as ridiculously overweight or obese, but I was,” he says. “I knew what I should be doing, but I wasn’t practising it. I didn’t really know how or where to start and more importantly, stay on track. Now, my lifestyle is all about choices and I never feel deprived or restricted. I learnt quickly how to have a full life. I know I can go out with friends, to a birthday party or go on holidays and not beat myself up about it, when I go out to dinner.”

After a 26.5kg weight loss on his LifeShape 12 program^, Anthony now feels like he has complete balance in his life, and he’s never been happier or healthier.

“I’m doing things at 50 that I wouldn’t have done at 30,” admits Anthony. “I just said to my son the other day I wish I knew at his age what I know now. I would never have let myself get out of control along the way. I recently completed a Heli hike and a four day sea kayak trip, things I would never have had the confidence to attempt before doing the program. The program has definitely resulted in me attempting more than I ever dreamed of doing.”

Apart from the well-rounded structure of the program, Anthony credits his accomplishments to the support of his wife and family, his hard work and the individual care provided by the whole team at LifeShape Clinic.

“There is such amazing support there when you need it. You really build trust and relationships with the people you see,” explains Anthony. “I think it’s important to know your consultants are focused on helping you, and that you’re not just a number. Even the Client Services Staff and administration are excellent, and it makes you feel totally supported the entire way.”

Armed with his iron resolve to maintain his healthy lifestyle, Anthony has signed on for a support program for help when he needs it in the future.

“I’ve learned so many strategies whilst on the LifeShape program, but I know help is available when I need it,” says Anthony. “It was logical to join a support program when I have a long-term focus on maintaining my health so I can check in with my Dietitian when I feel like I might need to be brought back on track. I think it’s great that it’s offered, and is a big reason the LifeShape program is different.”

The best advice Anthony can give to someone thinking of joining a LifeShape Clinic program? Determine why you want to be healthier in the first place.

“It’s important to determine your purpose,” explains Anthony. “You need to truly believe in your why, just go and do it and stay committed. The results are worth every minute of effort that you put in. For example, you may be working hard, going from meeting to meeting, with no purpose to living. Why you want to be healthy may change, but if you figure out what’s important to you it will put you in the right headspace to start the journey. It sounds terrible, but looking back, the shock of cancer was the greatest opportunity I ever had. I can see where I’ve been, and where I’m going. I won’t go back and I’m forever grateful to the LifeShape Clinic for what I’ve learned.”

Listen to more of Anthony’s story.

^Your results may vary. To find out what you can achieve on your LifeShape Program book a no obligation initial assessment with one of our Dietitians, call 1800 567 348. Alternatively you can register your interest online.