ST FIVE STONE BY NKING MYSELF THIN
fted and I was taken off insulin for y diabetes two years ago.” This is all a far cry from January 010 when Darin, a traffic warden, as at his lowest ebb after being enied gastric bypass surgery by his cal health authority. “I’ve struggled with my weight nce I was a child and I have done very diet known to man but they ever worked for me. “When I was refused for the op was at rock bottom. I needed help ut didn’t know how to get it. I ould go to work, go home and just at all night. I would drink two litres f cola and go through crisps, bread nd anything savoury. I had no ontrol over myself.” After spending most of the llowing year fighting and failing to et the doctors’ decision verturned, Darin came across limpod online. However, even though he was urious about it, he was so wary that e didn’t follow it up for another few weeks. “I had tried so many other things I wanted to be sure that this was right for me and could make a difference to my life.
“But basically I had two options – either do something or die.”
DARIN had a meeting with Sandra Roycroft-Davis, the founder of Thinking Slimmer, which launched Slimpod in February 2011.
“She told me the programme helps retrain the brain when it comes to food and that made sense to me.
“She wasn’t trying to sell me pre-packed foods or a way of eating. It was about having a different relationship with food and that was a breath of fresh air. I was desperate for it to succeed.”
Darin was given a nine-minute recording to listen to every day and he was astonished how quickly it had an effect. “On the second day I left half of my dinner on my plate. I had never done that before but for the first time I listened to my body’s signal that I was full up.”
Incredibly, Darin went on to lose four stone in just six months.
“The biggest revelation for me is that I finally felt I had control over food and food no longer controlled me. For the first time in 45 years food was not my drug of choice.”
Darin lost another stone and has managed to keep his weight at just over 15 stone for the past five years.
Just two months into his weightloss programme, Darin’s diabetes had shown so much improvement his doctor suggested he entered the 10-mile Great South Run.
Darin says: “I laughed at her and ignored the suggestion but the next time I saw my doctor she offered to do the run with me and I decided to give it a try.
“I started training by just trying to run from lamp post to lamp post.” Darin completed the run, which took place in October 2011, in just over two hours and that sparked a new love of exercise.
And two years ago he stopped needing to take insulin for his diabetes.
He has since taken part in various runs, cycling events and triathlons and won more than 50 medals for his efforts.
“I never thought I’d ever say this but I’ve fallen in love with exercise, especially running. I exercise at least three days a week now.
“Looking back, not being able to have the gastric band surgery was one of the best things that happened to me.
“I still listen to the Slimpod every so often because it keeps me on track. I’ve discovered a healthy way to lose weight and keep it off and I’ve never felt so alive.” For more information about Slimpods go to thinkingslimmer.com