After spending a number of years caring for family members, Rhonda had a realisation she had been neglecting her own health.

“When I turned 45, I wanted my best years to be ahead of me,” says Rhonda. “This is what drove me initially, the thought of being able to do the things I wanted to do in the future. I knew I needed to take some time to look after myself. To date, I hadn’t had the time and energy to devote to me. I knew I wanted to lose the weight for good, and not yoyo.”

After much thought about whether or not to join, Rhonda had a realisation there was no shame in asking for professional support to reach her goals.

“At first, I thought I shouldn’t need the help,” remembers Rhonda. “I thought that I should just be able to do this myself - I really beat myself up over it. However, I quickly realised it was ok to ask for help, and seek out the structure I needed. After doing some research to understand what the LifeShape program entailed, I realised it was a worthwhile investment.”

Rhonda had previously tried other weight loss programs in the past, with limited long term results.

“I’ve tried other group based programs in the past,” says Rhonda. “However the results were only temporary, with no personalisation. What I found most helpful about the LifeShape program was the individual treatment. The team understood me personally, and they tailored their advice to me and my individual needs. I could have found an eating plan myself that I could follow, but nothing comes close to the integration of clinicians at LifeShape. I don’t think I would have been able to address the emotional side of eating on my own.”

One of the things Rhonda says was most beneficial for her was this integration of staff within the clinic.

“Other programs are all about eating,” states Rhonda. “LifeShape Clinic is a more integrated program, which looks at the whole person. You not only see a Dietitian, but also an Exercise Physiologist and Psychologist. A big part of my issues with eating were related to stress and anxiety, so the psychology aspect of the program was a big part of my success. My work with her then fed straight back to the Dietitian, who was able to help me work on this each week. All of their staff are highly qualified and the Dietitians are Accredited Practising Dietitians. This gave me a lot of confidence in the staff from the beginning.”

Working with her personalised team, Rhonda successfully lost 15.4kg on her LifeShape 9 program^.

“The first part of the program focused on behaviour change and took the decision making out of making food,” says Rhonda. “I remember telling the dietitian ‘I feel like I need to eat’. They would then ask me to think about why I wanted to eat and learn to identify emotional eating when I wasn’t hungry. I lost weight quite rapidly, and saw the benefits right away. It’s great that the program tailored to me as a vegetarian as well, so that I could eat what I wanted. I found out I wasn’t eating nearly enough protein which is why I was so hungry all the time.”

Even though Rhonda is feeling better and enjoying a new perspective on enjoying a healthier lifestyle, she’s opted to carry on with a clinic support program.

“I learnt so much about myself, and now have the strategies to manage emotional eating, physical activity, and cues for maintaining my weight,” says Rhonda. “However I like being on a support program, it makes me feel like I’m not completely cut off.”

So, what are some of the most positive outcomes for Rhonda?

“I have lots more energy!” says Rhonda. “I walk from building to building a lot in my job. So, now moving across campus is much easier and I don’t get puffed or exhausted. It’s nice when work colleagues comment on my weight loss as well. Living on an acreage, I don’t get wiped out doing yard work and being on the program has also been good for my husband. I do most of the cooking so he’s feeling the benefits from healthier eating and we go on walks together as well. I looked at the program as an investment in myself, and made this life changing decision for my long term health.”

Need Help Finding A Healthy Balance for You?

If you need a little extra help finding a healthy balance for you, consider seeking the help of an Accredited Practising Dietitian for tailored advice. A healthier, happier you starts with just one phone call to 1800 567 348. Alternatively you can register your interest online.

^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.