The freedom you get from walking into a shop, picking something up and thinking, ‘Actually, I can wear that; I don’t have to worry about hiding certain parts of my body.'
Life changing stories
The freedom you get from walking into a shop, picking something up and thinking, ‘Actually, I can wear that; I don’t have to worry about hiding certain parts of my body.'
Life changing stories
My life before WLS
Life before weight loss surgery
Jessie was always considered the ‘big one’ in her friend group, using her loud, funny personality to mask how she really felt about herself and her body.
When she was younger, Jessie was very active. She was enthusiastic about sports and loved playing netball. It was the university lifestyle that led to her drastic change in weight.
“I got to a place where it was just pasta and fast food, and obviously a lot of alcohol, and going out, and the weight just ballooned.”
At her heaviest weight, Jessie was 17 stone, which resulted in a habit of yo-yo dieting. Trying everything from Slimming World to shake diets, no matter how far she got, she couldn’t keep the weight off long-term. Diagnosed with PCOS, she knew that her metabolic health condition would always stand in the way of her progress.
Jessie constantly compared herself to others and felt deflated each time her progress plateaued. As she reached 30 years old, she realised she didn’t want to enter the next decade of her life feeling the same way about her weight. That’s when she started to consider weight loss surgery.
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Why Tonic?
Jessie wasn’t aware of weight loss surgery until she started researching weight loss options and heard about gastric sleeve surgery through a friend.
‘It opened my eyes to what I didn’t know was possible.”
She carried out extensive research into various providers across the UK and abroad, creating a detailed pro and con spreadsheet. For Jessie, the reason why she was attracted to Tonic was our community and aftercare.
“I felt like I was joining a community that already existed. I don’t think you see that a lot with other providers in the UK or anywhere. It sounds cliché, but it feels like you’re joining a family.”
After a consultation with Tonic to discuss her constant battle to lose weight and her metabolic condition, Jessie was able to arrange to have her weight loss procedure.
Before her weight loss surgery, Jessie would hide behind her clothes and long hair. Her recent weight loss – from size 18-20 to size 8 – has given her newfound confidence, as she can now wear clothes that flatter her body.
“The freedom you get from walking into a shop, picking something up and thinking, ‘Actually, I can wear that; I don’t have to worry about hiding certain parts of my body.’”
Another major off-scale victory is her energy levels. Jessie’s weight gain had left her feeling low on energy and lacking confidence, making it difficult for her to enjoy an active lifestyle. However, after undergoing weight loss surgery, she has been able to regain her energy levels and love for fitness. She now regularly works out and participates in yoga and Pilates.
Jessie’s next step after rediscovering her love for health and fitness is pursuing a qualification as a nutritionist.
Jessie’s journey with Tonic didn’t end with her weight loss surgery; it was just the beginning of a new chapter. She still receives immense support and guidance from our aftercare team.
Aside from one-to-one mentoring through our Facebook support group, our dietitian team also helps her navigate her post-surgery diet, ensuring balanced nutrition and providing her with the tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Jessie can also regularly check in with the nurses and surgical team who performed her procedure.
“What you get with Tonic is the reassurance that there’s always somebody there for you. Whether you’re at the early stages of your journey, supported by nurses, or where I am now, coming on just over a year after the process, I’m still able to reach out and have a chat with the psychologist team or the dietitian team. I would especially like to thank PT, Harry Hedges, for his continuous support in inspiring my fitness journey.”
“Trust the process, appreciate the journey, and understand that your journey will be different from the person you follow on Instagram or the person you spoke to who had weight loss surgery three years ago because everyone is different. And do it sooner! Don’t do six months of waiting. Start the process.”
We are incredibly proud of Jessie and it’s wonderful to hear about how far she has come since her procedure. From hiding her figure behind her clothes to being the active, confident person she used to be. She has achieved so much and we couldn’t be happier for her.
If Jessie’s story resonated with you and you feel inspired to start your weight loss journey with Tonic, don’t hesitate to get in touch and book your free consultation today. Our team of specialists are on hand to answer any questions you may have.
If you have any questions for Jessie, or would like to follow along with her fitness journey, you can find her on Instagram: @Jessieslimming
Before her weight loss surgery, Jessie would hide behind her clothes and long hair. Her recent weight loss – from size 18-20 to size 8 – has given her newfound confidence, as she can now wear clothes that flatter her body.
“The freedom you get from walking into a shop, picking something up and thinking, ‘Actually, I can wear that; I don’t have to worry about hiding certain parts of my body.’”
Another major off-scale victory is her energy levels. Jessie’s weight gain had left her feeling low on energy and lacking confidence, making it difficult for her to enjoy an active lifestyle. However, after undergoing weight loss surgery, she has been able to regain her energy levels and love for fitness. She now regularly works out and participates in yoga and Pilates.
Jessie’s next step after rediscovering her love for health and fitness is pursuing a qualification as a nutritionist.
Jessie’s journey with Tonic didn’t end with her weight loss surgery; it was just the beginning of a new chapter. She still receives immense support and guidance from our aftercare team.
Aside from one-to-one mentoring through our Facebook support group, our dietitian team also helps her navigate her post-surgery diet, ensuring balanced nutrition and providing her with the tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Jessie can also regularly check in with the nurses and surgical team who performed her procedure.
“What you get with Tonic is the reassurance that there’s always somebody there for you. Whether you’re at the early stages of your journey, supported by nurses, or where I am now, coming on just over a year after the process, I’m still able to reach out and have a chat with the psychologist team or the dietitian team. I would especially like to thank PT, Harry Hedges, for his continuous support in inspiring my fitness journey.”
“Trust the process, appreciate the journey, and understand that your journey will be different from the person you follow on Instagram or the person you spoke to who had weight loss surgery three years ago because everyone is different. And do it sooner! Don’t do six months of waiting. Start the process.”
We are incredibly proud of Jessie and it’s wonderful to hear about how far she has come since her procedure. From hiding her figure behind her clothes to being the active, confident person she used to be. She has achieved so much and we couldn’t be happier for her.
If Jessie’s story resonated with you and you feel inspired to start your weight loss journey with Tonic, don’t hesitate to get in touch and book your free consultation today. Our team of specialists are on hand to answer any questions you may have.
If you have any questions for Jessie, or would like to follow along with her fitness journey, you can find her on Instagram: @Jessieslimming
Watch our latest Tonic video content
Watch our latest Tonic video content
Chanelle Hayes Tonic journey with a gastric sleeve
“Before weight loss surgery, I couldn’t cope with doing anything strenuous and I couldn’t spend time with my children in the way I wanted to. My eating was out of control, and I had been yo-yoing.
A year out from surgery, I’m a completely different person. Last year, my body fat percentage was in the morbidly obese category. Now, I’m in the healthy weight category.”
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