After being referred to our service through his GP, Mark began his journey with HLS Gloucestershire in December 2020. In under a year, he’s lost an amazing 6 and a half stone! Mark needed an operation on his hip, but his size meant doctors were hesitant to operate. “The first thing I got told by the doctor was that they wouldn’t even look at me until I’d lost weight.”

“I realised that if I wanted to get some quality of life back, I had to lose weight.”

After being referred into service, Mark was paired with Healthy Lifestyle coach Rikki and together they worked up  a plan that worked for Mark, taking it one step at a time with regular check-ins which helped him to stay motivated. “Having somebody every week ring you up just to see how you were doing and to give you advice if something was going wrong was huge for me.”

At HLS Gloucestershire we understand that when it comes to losing weight, having the right support is just as important as eating the right foods or being more active. As Mark told us, ‘‘There is a way to lose weight, if you’ve got the right information and the right support – and I had that with HLS Glos.”

With the support of Rikki, Mark hasn’t just lost weight, but changed his mindset towards food too. “I’m eating healthier  at the right times. And I’m actually thinking about ‘what food is good for me’ and I’ve never done that before.”

As a result of his 6 and a half stone weight loss, Mark is now eligible for his hip surgery, but his physical health isn’t the only positive change that Mark has made.

‘I feel like two different people, in fact I can’t believe the man I was before’

In recent years, Mark found himself neglecting his hobbies and other things he cared about. “Because of the size I was, I was always hiding from doing things for myself. And now I’ve got no excuses, I can go back to doing the things I want to do” Since working with Healthy Lifestyles, Mark feels like he’s gotten himself back, and can start doing the things he loves again.

And it’s not just Mark who sees the changes, either. “My mum said to me “I feel like I’m getting my son back”

Becoming healthier is not just about losing weight, it comes with a series of lifestyle changes so that you can understand your own needs, and that it might not always be a linear journey. “It’s helped me understand food, understand my body and understand that it’s okay sometimes to put a little bit of weight on”

Nearly a year on from his start with HLS Glos, Mark is as motivated as ever. “I’ve set my own goal now” – to lose another 2 stone using the healthy habits he’s learned.

“I couldn’t praise HLS Glos enough – they understood me, how to keep me going and how to motivate me. ‘I’ve got a future now, and I didn’t have that when I started.”

If you’re thinking about losing weight or making changes to become a healthier, happier version of you – take Mark’s advice: “It’s changed my life – and I don’t say that lightly.” “You can do it too. You can actually make a life change.”

Sign up today for a FREE 12-week programme to help you become the best version of you.

For more information on getting FREE support to lose weight, call us on freephone 0800 122 3788.