Brave Gemma wins battle to control weight

A
BRAVE Northside girl has spoken of her battle against weight.

Just
last year, Gemma Davis from Ballymun was an unhealthy 24 ½ stone at the tender
age of 16.

“I was sad all the time, had no energy and
felt like I couldn’t go anywhere without being stared at,

? she admitted.

Gemma
was going into sixth year in school, and was preparing for her Leaving Cert
with the debs ball to look forward to the following September.

But
she hated shopping for clothes, let alone look for a debs dress that could fit
her. Gemma was unhappy within herself, and she didn’t like the way she looked
or felt.

These
feelings are common amoung people who are overweight.

According
to a recent Slán lifestyle study, one in four or 40 per cent of the Irish
population is overweight with 23 per cent classed as obese. These shocking
statistics are costing the country $1.6 billion annually in health supports to
treat obesity-related diseases

This
does not include a decrease in productivity due to illness and workdays lost,
premature mortality or the intangible costs such as impaired quality of life.

In
addition, obesity in Irish children aged from five to 12 is one of the highest in the world at 10
per cent.

Gemma
attributes taking control of her life to Motivation Weight Management Clinics
in Swords.

Like
many others, she had reached the stage that she knew she couldn’t go on feeling
the way she did anymore. Her family and
parents were extremely worried about her.

“My
sister saw the ad for Motivation and rang up for me because she was worried
about my health and how it would affect me as I went into my 20s,

? she related.

“I was nervous about starting the programme as I had tried lots of diets before
with my sisters and my Mam but nothing ever worked.

?

Motivation
Weight Management Clinics believe that the secret to weight loss and long term
weight management lies in the way we think.

Programme
founder, Dr Maurice Larocque, said:

“When you treat obesity by means of a diet or exercise you are merely
treating the symptoms of the condition

?.

Dr
Larocque believes that there are two treatments where one is losing the weight
and dieting is appropriate for that.

“But
weight maintenance is only achieved by dealing with the behaviour and attitude
behind the problem,

? he added.

At
Motivation, Gemma found the one to one consultations each week also really
helped.

“At
my visit each week, my weight loss consultant provided me with a safe place to
discuss my deepest issues about my weight and gave me the confidence and belief
I could succeed,

? she recalled.

And
if Gemma is anything to go by, it works.

“I
was shocked to see that I could eat lots of food whereas before I started I was
skipping breakfast and then eating all the wrong foods later in the day. Within
a couple of weeks I noticed a major change in my attitude towards food. I
haven’t looked back since I started the programme. I’m a new person now. I’ve
lots more confidence in myself, I’m much happier and I feel great. I still have a little bit more weight to lose
but I know it’s only a matter of time before I reach my ultimate goal.

?

The
Swords Motivation Weight Management Clinic can be contacted by email:
mailto:swords@motivation.ie. Tel
01-8956308