I am Lisanne and 28 years young. I exercise a lot, about 3-5 times a week. From bootcamp, kickboxing, group classes to crossfit and fitness. That did always give me the excuse to keep eating. Over the past few years I have tried various diets, such as eating shakes as a replacement meal and counting/tracking my daily food. None of that was really sustainable and so I soon gave up. When I started living independently, the “easy” way was added and it became more and more the home delivery app at my fingertips. The familiar yo-yo effect was the result, and until my burnout in 2018/2019, I rumbled on like this.

At the end of 2019, I was following training for a higher position, and together with my fellow students, there was partying – which involved quite a bit of alcohol. When I stood on the scale afterwards, my heart skipped a beat. I had really gained tremendous weight. I always had the excuse that “being a little fat” just happened to run in our family. But this was really of an entirely different order. So I felt bad about it. Clothes I had only had for a year no longer fit. I felt awful and ashamed of my appearance. And things weren’t going so well privately either. Fortunately, I had a lucid moment and thought: now I have to do something and that’s how I ended up at the Allurion Clinic. At that time, I weighed about 83 pounds. Far too heavy for a young woman of 28. For me – besides the balloon – the coach was especially important. I needed someone who would not accept my excuses and would tackle my firmly. But also someone with whom I could confidently share my deepest insecurities and unpleasant emotions. That was Christel from Spengler. I had specified in advance what I was looking for and Christel turned out to be the perfect match.

At the time I was allowed to start – May 09, 2020 – I weighed 82.9 kg. Way and way too heavy for a 28-year-old. I wanted to be paired with a nutrition coach/lifestyle coach who would be strict with me, who would not accept my “excuses” and who I could be open and honest with. Because I want to become a new me, a Lisanne who does take good care of herself, who becomes aware of food and lifestyle choices. I gained so much more insight into my pattern of behavior and how to break it thanks to Christel. Of course, this period (and the occasional off day) has not always been a bed of roses. Secretly, I was very restless when I went out to dinner or to visit family. How do you do that, what’s in return, what if I’m right back to square one? Christel put me very at ease about this and gave many helpful tips such as, for example, “put down your cutlery, listen to your gut, chew your food more, really taste what you eat and make a weekly plan. Then you can plan everything well and when you eat out you know what you can adjust in your diet. Each consultation with Christel was tremendously comprehensive and all time was taken for proper explanation and awareness. Every Friday I had my weigh-in time on the Allurion scale, I saw the numbers on the scale going down. If I was “stuck” on weight I was actually very disappointed and told Christel the same. She explained to me that they are just numbers and we talked about my feelings.

All of that has made me feel much better about myself. I finally dare to really look at myself in the mirror and say “Yes Lies you can be there, you look good”, I preferred to avoid that mirror as much as possible but now I sometimes give myself a wink when I see my reflection. What Christel and Dr. Edo Aarts have given me is not only that first step to a healthier weight, but a future where I love myself again, am more conscious of nutrition, exercise and relaxation. My consultations with Christel were not just about the numbers on that scale, but were about so much more than I ever imagined. I thought I was knowledgeable about nutrition, but Christel really opened my eyes to a better and healthier lifestyle. Christel has helped me develop a diet that is delicious, healthy and flexible. Partly because I work irregular hours, this has made all the difference for me.

I ended up not only going from 82.9 pounds to 69 pounds – my whole lifestyle changed. I challenge myself. I’m getting out of my comfort zone. I am really extremely glad I chose this path and am grateful to Edo and Christel for their help and commitment. And as for the balloon, of course it does help that you are much less hungry.