Beat the bullies: Chloe’s Gastric Band Story
Our gastric band patient Chloe, 26 is enjoying life after hitting her weight loss goals in just 18 months following her procedure, losing 12.5 stone and reaching her target weight through hard work and dedication.
But Chloe’s journey isn’t just about weight loss… in her own words, she tells the story of what reaching a healthy, happier weight has meant for her and how it has truly enabled her to beat the bullies and feel more like herself:
‘Since I was a young child, I have always struggled with my weight, I seemed to put a stone on for every year until I got to 25 stone. My mental health suffered, day to day I had feelings of paranoia because I always thought about my weight when I was around other people and I attributed being bullied to being obese.
Making the life-changing decision to have gastric band surgery has allowed me to beat the bullies, become who I want to be and not hide away anymore…
My weight loss journey even gave me the confidence to come out as gay as this is something that I had kept hidden for years- and I’ve never looked back since. I’m now 1 year into a very happy relationship with a person I’m going to marry, I could never have imagined that this would happen to me before I had my surgery.
I have changed my lifestyle by becoming more active and being able to become more involved in the gym community felt like a dream. I feel like I have smashed my life goals by being able to enjoy going to theme parks, spa days, trampoline parks and even taking part in a 12-hour charity spin! It’s about the little things as well as the small things, being able to tie my own shoelaces and wear a bikini for the first time felt amazing!
How fantastic does Chloe look in her gastric band before and after?
My family and friends have been great and have supported me from day 1 and have always been there to help and support me when I have struggled.
If I could give advice to someone else in a similar situation, I would say that it’s okay to not be okay…
Beat the bullies and do not let them determine your future. Just be yourself and take pride in how far you have come.’
We love celebrating your achievements and hearing about how weight loss surgery has given you the tools you need to achieve your goals.
You can do this too! If you have tried diet and exercise but it just isn’t enough then it might be time to find out if weight loss surgery is an option for you. Along with our weight loss support team made up of expert surgeons, dietitians and nurses, together we can kickstart your journey to a healthier you.