When we sat down with Emily, she shared with us that her weight had been a struggle for many years. However, before starting a family, Emily was previously able to manage this through an active, busy lifestyle.

“I wasn’t looking after myself properly, but I always managed to stay on top of my weight simply by being really active,” says Emily. “But life flipped upside down once I had twins. I didn’t gain a lot of weight with my pregnancy, in fact I was fortunate to have a really healthy pregnancy. However, after I went back to work, I proceeded to get unhealthier in the following two to three years. I wasn’t looking after myself, eating properly or sleeping well. Being an architect meant long hours, and I was eating out a lot.”

It was a phone call from her dad that gave Emily the push she needed to draw a line in the sand and seek some help.

“My dad was in the same boat, not looking after himself and putting on weight,” remembers Emily. “He rang me one day and said ‘what are we going to do’? We discussed what we thought was the best plan of attack. I knew I was out of control and the boys were getting to a more independent age so I thought I could squeeze something in for myself somewhere. Dad went ahead and made the Initial Assessment for us, and the moral support was enough to get me in the door.”

Before coming to the appointment, Emily had previously heard about the Clinic from a colleague.

“A colleague’s wife, who was a doctor, was raving about the clinic way back in 2006,” says Emily. “So for me it was always in my head that the program was scientific and medially based. For me, that sounded far more beneficial than sitting in a room full of strangers and talking. You get metabolic testing, and it’s evidence based. Overall, I think I’ve gained a lot of education and understanding about dietetics and nutrition.”

One of the things Emily found most helpful to lose 25.3kg on her LifeShape program^, was how she could relate so strongly to her core Dietitian.

“She was so supportive,” says Emily. “I do too much, work a bit too much and squeezing it all in is a bit of a challenge. However my Dietitian was juggling work and family life as well, so she faced the same issues I did at dinner time. The primary thing we talked about was what we cooked for the family. She’d say ‘I get the same thing! Try doing this or that’. It just made her so relatable.”

A key learning from her LifeShape program was the importance of meal planning and shopping.

“Understanding that was like a light bulb going off,” remembers Emily. “It was my LifeShape Psychologist who helped me understand that if I don’t do these two things, no one else is going to do it for me. I had a realisation that I had to get it under control or I was always going to be unhealthy, and in turn the kids would be unhealthy as well. We managed our busy lives with takeaways all the time. It was a really bad habit, but the easier option late at night. Getting the education about the importance of shopping and meal planning was key. It’s difficult getting out of the house with kids, but somehow I find a way to get to the shops!”

“Even my husband’s habits have improved thanks to me being on the program! I think he’s really taken on the knowledge as well. Since he saw what I was doing with my eating habits, we have both found better options and we cook healthier foods.”

Since completing her LifeShape program, Emily has opted for a Support program for a little ongoing help.

“I’m doing a really good job maintaining on my own,” says Emily. “But it’s great knowing I have a little bit of support every few months. Last time I saw my Dietitian she asked how my meal prep and planning was going. She gives me scenarios and asks how I will deal with this and that happening to check I can keep myself on track.”

Emily’s advice to anyone thinking about joining a program?

“There’s enough stuff out there saturating you about being healthy these days. I think it gives you a false sense of security that you know what you’re doing on your own,” explains Emily. “I knew myself well enough to know I would be more disciplined if I was accountable to someone else. The way I think about it is, if I need help with something outside my expertise I will pay someone to get it done. I’m not going to tell you it’s easy, but it’s accessible - and it works.”

^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.