Grandma who was 22 lost 7st WITHOUT dieting and loves to show off her body
A GRANDMOTHER has undergone a total transformation after losing SEVEN stones and didn’t have to diet.
Melanie Cameron, 53, struggled with obesity and yo-yo dieting all her life, weighing 24 and 11 pounds at her heaviest.
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Born into a family that ran pubs, Melanie was surrounded by unhealthy food choices.
This led to her gaining weight early on and having a lifelong battle with emotional eating and her appearance.
Melanie, a florist, said: ‘I was the only child and from the age of seven it was Coca-Cola on tap, crisps, Mars bars and so on.
“I was overweight when I was seven, and even as a child I visited doctors who told me I should go on a diet.
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“I was 13 years old when I was 13, and after that the weight grew every year.”
The mother-of-three said she would start the day with good intentions, “usually two Weetabix with skimmed milk – I would only have skimmed milk in the house”.
But after a lunch of mostly sandwiches and ham, she started snacking on cakes and biscuits before eating a ‘man-sized’ home-cooked dinner of spaghetti bolognese, chicken curry and rice or chops.
Melanie experienced some success with various diets and lost 10 stone with the Lighter Life program to pursue an active life with her grandchildren.
However, her weight gradually crept back to 20 stone over the years.
“All my life I wanted to be thin, look normal and not worry about sitting in the airplane seat and stuff like that,” she said.
Melanie’s turning point came after her 50th birthday, when she rediscovered her childhood love of horse riding and faced the fear that she might miss seeing her grandchildren grow up.
She said: “When I started riding again I found it very difficult because of my weight, and I couldn’t even run after my grandchildren. I had to lose a few stone.”
Melanie realized that she needed a more permanent and healthy solution to her weight problems and decided to undergo weight loss surgery Weight Lose Riga in Latvia after seeing a friend’s results.
“I knew someone who went to Weight Loss Riga for bariatric surgery, an Amazon, and she had a very successful outcome and looked great,” Melanie said.
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How does a gastric sleeve work?
Dr. Maksims Mukans, leading bariatric surgeon at Weight Loss Riga said:
“After gastric surgery, patients are no longer able to eat as much as before because their new, smaller stomach feels fuller after a smaller amount of food.
‘It also serves to reset the metabolism of patients, most of whom have struggled with dieting for many years.
“Metabolic reset is so important because without it, most people get stuck in this cycle of losing weight and then gaining it back again and again.
“Our patients receive comprehensive support after their procedure, including nutritional guidance if necessary, and we empower them to make positive changes to their lifestyle.
“We have one too Facebook group where patients share their stories and offer each other support.”
“She told me, ‘You’ll never look back at this,’ and she was right. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Melanie said she “didn’t even bother” to have surgery on the NHS.
“I didn’t want to jump through hoops when I had been tough all my life,” she said.
“What’s the point of getting anything done through the NHS? People can’t even get a hip replacement – so how am I going to get anything done about obesity?”
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Since undergoing stomach surgery on August 14 last year, Melanie has lost almost seven stone and now weighs 13 stone and five pounds, having dropped from a 20 to a dress size 14.
“My recovery was very quick,” she said. “I had the operation on Monday afternoon, Thursday afternoon I was at home in the garden and Friday afternoon I was already up to look at my horse.”
Since then, Melanie has continued to lose weight and says she has completely overhauled her lifestyle.
Melanie, from Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, said: “Now I eat because I see food as fuel.”
Her meals include high-protein choices such as Weetabix with skim milk for breakfast, egg omelettes, small bowls of soup for lunch and modest portions for dinner, usually including proteins such as chicken or a small portion of ravioli.
As well as feeling better mentally and physically, Melanie says her riding has gone from strength to strength since she lost the weight.
She said: “My riding has improved incredibly. I’m not half as scared either. I can ride for 45 minutes without being bloated – and I barely sweat anymore.”
Melanie’s advice for those considering weight loss surgery is simple: “Don’t overthink it, just do it.”
She added: “This is not a diet; this is a new life you are given, and you have to live it and enjoy it.”