Katie

No will-power was needed at all. Just concentration, to make sure you use the tools when you identify areas that are normally ‘weak’ areas. As soon as you apply rational thought you don’t need will power!

I realised that a lot of time I wasn’t hungry – I realised that I often ate when I was tired. As Marion simply asked ‘Why do you think eating will stop you feeling tired, isn’t rest a better solution?’ This was a huge ‘penny drop’ moment for me.

With the Gastric Mind Band Therapy you can eat whatever food you like – as long as you are only eating when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied. I was made aware that, because of my PCOS and Hyperinsulinism, I have to be really careful about the amount of carbs I eat, because whenever I eat carb-rich foods, my body has to produce a lot more Insulin, compared with people who don’t have this problem, in order to regulate my blood sugar. During the sessions I learnt that the hormone Insulin increases your hunger and also leads to cravings for sugar and carb-rich foods. With this knowledge, I can now make better choices when I eat, opting for protein, vegetables and healthy fats, rather than carb-laden foods, and as a result I keep my blood sugar levels more consistent, reduce my sugar cravings and appetite, which in turn makes it so much easier for me to lose weight!

Martin and Marion have loads of different techniques to make people think about their bad eating habits. The one which worked best for me was to stop and think about how ‘rational’ my decision would sound to another person – the Pause Button Therapy helps with this: to recognise when I’m likely to make a ‘ridiculous’ decision and to take time, and consider the consequences of that decision & how I would try to justify it to someone else. I also enjoyed the introduction to the Origins of Obesity that Martin shared with me.

I feel a lot more in control now – not just about my weight, food and alcohol, but all other walks of life. The process taught me to identify areas where I had a ‘low tolerance threshold’ – where I was being irrational. I then use the Pause Button therapy to stop and consider the consequences of my actions – putting the argument to ‘the jury’ to sense test my decision. It’s been super useful at work!!

I’ve reached my target weight now. I feel a lot more control of my eating and I realise that when I thought I was hungry, I really wasn’t. I look back on the way I ate before, and the amount I was eating and I eat much more slowly now as well. I realise exactly why I was overweight now – I wasn’t listening to my body at all. My mind was over ruling signs of feeling full, so much so I would leave almost every meal feeling overstuffed, and, very often, guilty. The proof will be keeping the weight off; Martin and Marion have provided great support so far. I’ve had top-up sessions and the impact on my health has been a real positive incentive. It’s a great feeling to be able to shop in ‘normal’ clothes shops too.