Gastric Banding Surgery Success Story

Andrew Spalding, 29, Melbourne

Before

After

My decision to have gastric banding surgery was not one I took lightly - I considered it for a long time and really felt it was the last resort. But it was a decision that changed my life. I'd been living in Melbourne for about a year, working a sedentary job far from friends and the sports I'd enjoyed at home, suffering long hours, commuting and an atrocious fast-food diet. I went on a Contiki tour and, after looking at my holiday snaps, decided something had to give.

The procedure itself was quite simple. I checked in to hospital about 6am and, before I knew it, I woke up in recovery. I was up within a few hours and, after about five days, started going for walks. At first I'd go for 30 minutes, then every day I'd add a couple of minutes until, after five weeks, I was comfortably walking for an hour. In the first week I lost 16kg, just by eating less and walking.That was enough to keep me motivated.

Taking Training Personally
Even when I was overweight I enjoyed being active and going to the gym - I just didn't get a reward for it. A while after my surgery I started seeing Olivia, who works at a physical and rehabilitation clinic. She encouraged me to do a personal training course. It was an idea I'd entertained for a while, because I wanted to help others. I started studying at night while working full-time. Life was hectic, but I was so happy to finally be working towards something I was really passionate about. I'd already lost 30kg when I enrolled and lost 20kg while doing the course - it was great motivation.

Halfway through the course I got a job with a gym and, as soon as I graduated, I resigned from my old job. Four months later I started my own personal training business. I knew I wouldn't be earning the money I was used to, but I was willing to sacrifice that for the opportunity to do something I loved.

Big Business
When I heard Biggest Loser Adro Sarnelli had moved to my area. I was a bit intimidated but managed to meet with him.We had a great chat, obviously sharing a passion - not just for personal training but for working with people with weight problems. We started running group exercise sessions for overweight people and, when Adro's retreat opened on the Mornington Peninsula, I became one of his trainers. Before I met Adro, I'd had the idea for Band Camp, an educational weekend away for people who have had gastric banding surgery.

The procedure can be a powerful weightloss tool, but there are things needed to complement the band.You still have to eat healthily and introduce some exercise to sustain a healthy lifestyle. So I started running weekend retreats every three months. We talk about living with the band and have a psychologist. dietitian, chef and myself as a trainer, all giving educational seminars on our areas of expertise.

Life with the Band
When you lose a lot of weight so rapidly, the mind gets left behind at first. I went shopping with Olivia one day and was getting really excited. I had to explain that it was the first time I could buy what looked good and not just what they had in my size. That was the first time I gave myself some credit, looking in the mirror and accepting I'd lost almost 50kg.

It's quite shocking how differently people treat you when you lose weight - you get a lot more attention. It can be daunting, but then you bump into people you haven't seen for a few years and they're knocked out by your change - and of course you love the compliments. After a while, you start looking for excuses to bump into people that you haven't seen in a while!