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“I invested in myself and it has paid off”

Stephanie Finn is enjoying improved health and is two dress sizes smaller thanks to Motivation.

Having carried excess weight since she was a child, 27- year-old Stephanie Finn from Moate had tried every diet under the sun to lose weight but to no success. It wasn’t until she started having stomach problems (which turned out to be gallstones) that Stephanie knew she had to make some serious changes to her lifestyle. Having watched her brother lose several stone in weight after joining Motivation in Mullingar, Stephanie decided to commit to the programme, and now at the end of her 20 weeks she has dropped two dress sizes and feels healthier and happier than ever.

“I tried so many different diets in the past and nothing had ever worked. Then late last year I became quite sick. It turned out that I had gallstones and I was looking at between six to eight weeks before I could get them out. I was so sick I decided to try Motivation to see what I could do to change my lifestyle in the meantime,” explains Stephanie. “That was in May and I weighed 11 stone 11 pounds. My first Motivation appointment was so different to anything else I had tried. The main thing I found was that the girls in Mullingar were so welcoming. No other diet offers you the one-to-one sessions, which I found great. You really build up a connection with the girls because they have been through exactly the same as you and know what you’re going through. “I discussed why I wanted to lose weight. They gave me a weight questionnaire that identifies bad eating habits.

 

 

So it’s more than going on a diet – it’s all about identifying your bad eating habits, and the emotional connection to eating. “My problem was portion size, the amount of food I was eating,” admits Stephanie. “I was always eating on the run and I got into the habit of having takeaways every weekend. Then there were certain foods that I perceived as good for me but they weren’t. I learned how to plan ahead for meals rather than eating on the run all the time. “It also educates you. You know what’s in the food you’re eating, and you know what it’s going to do to your body if you eat the wrong foods. Once you understand that, it’s easier to stay away from the foods that are bad for you.” For Stephanie the changes were instantaneous. “I noticed the weight dropping o_ immediately. Within the first  two to three weeks I had lost seven pounds. It

was coming off in the first week. By the time my operation came around I was feeling so much better in myself that I wondered whether I needed it at all.

 

 

“Now I’m at the end of my 20-week programme and there’s such a big change in my life. I can’t believe how much weight I’ve lost until I see a photo of myself and or go shopping for clothes. I’m now 9 stone 11 pounds, so I’ve lost two stone – that’s two dresses sizes.” Losing weight has not only had a positive e_ ect on Stephanie physically but emotionally too. “I feel like a completely different person. I used to be a lot more moody and negative, now I’m not a negative person any more. I’m not as tired as I once was and I have loads of energy.”

So what advice would Stephanie give to people thinking of joining Motivation?

“A lot of people are put off by the cost of the programme but what I would say to them is that you are investing in yourself. It is definitely worth it and in the long run it does pay off.

For me, I have asthma and I would buy a new inhaler every week. Now, since I’ve lost all the weight I don’t need them any more so the programme is actually saving me money and saving my health. So it’s well and truly worth it.

“It’s also worth it from a support point of view. If you’re having a bad week, you can ring up one of the girls because you really develop a relationship with them, and they will give you the encouragement you need. “My advice is to invest in yourself and take the Motivation programme. It’s worth it.”

CONTACT NUMBER: Motivation, Unit 5C, Second Floor, Fairgreen House, (beside TK Maxx) Mullingar 044 93 10400.