– There were times in my life full of crying, when I almost did not leave the refrigerator, I became similar in size to her. It’s a past. I lost weight, and more importantly – I didn’t waste a chance to become a better version of myself. And contrary to appearances, I’m not talking about the appearance! – recalls Danuta Kaszyńska, who in the program “Keep the Balance!” The Food and Nutrition Institute changed my life.
– There were times in my life full of crying when I hardly left the refrigerator door, becoming overall similar to her! I lost weight because I took part in a valuable project, and above all; I did not waste my chance to become a better version of myself, and in many respects – says Danuta Kaszyńska. She is 57 years old, she is a sales representative, she lives in Warsaw.
First love
“She came quite late, because I was in my twenties.” And if someone is at this age, he thinks about himself seriously. I was sure of my partner two years older and wanted to have a child with him. As our love blossomed, my parents’ marriage was falling apart. I must admit that I put my hand to it. I felt a great relief when the drunk father finally disappeared from my mother’s life. The following years showed that it was a good decision. Even though she had divorced just one month before her 25th wedding anniversary, she remarried. I have never seen her go to the theater and to concerts before, to go to a sanatorium. It worked with the new man.
And I? I was in love! And I wanted a child. My partner wanted it too. We had been trying to get children for two years before I heard the doctor’s confirmation that we were going to have a baby. I was crazy with happiness. I gave birth to my only son at the age of 26. A new stage in my life has begun: motherhood. New in another respect as well: my relationship began to creak at the seams. I found out about my partner’s cheating. Even though my heart was bleeding, I decided to break up. I became a single mother and I missed the father of my child for 14 more years! The feeling for him was so strong… At that time, due to the separation and difficulties related to single parenthood, I was gaining weight and taking turns losing weight. I was a typical representative of the yo yo effect. I was able to turn into a ball in a short time and then: lose weight just as quickly. The worst part was snacking at night and no breakfast in the morning. After I got out of bed, I didn’t eat until noon until my stomach started to suck. The apogee of the appetite was late in the evening. My son was already sleeping in his room, and I was doing a marathon between the couch and the fridge. Satisfied and anesthetized with food, I went to sleep.
Second love
– My son was already a teenager when I met another, serious candidate for a life together. I was struck by the fact that he got in touch with my beloved child, in addition, during the difficult period when the son was growing up. I entered a new relationship carefully, but I can’t contain my romantic nature. I fell head over heels in love and believed that after so many years of suffering after separating from my son’s father, the sun will shine in my private life.
We were together for seven and a half years. Before the breakup took place, it was a long time for me to make this decision. This time it took me less time to work through difficult emotions, but the pain was just as strong. It turned out that another one of my heart was cheating on me. I wanted so desperately to avoid alcoholics in my life, and I was getting into relationships with babiarz!
I paid for my parting with depression and gaining weight. It was necessary to drown out the longing and the feeling of failure. In addition, my mother was seriously ill. After the death of her second husband, I took my mother to me. Before she passed away, we had lived together five difficult years, when I had to look after her like a small child. After surgery for meningioma, she was never her old self anymore. She suffered from various obsessions. She was collecting unnecessary items, she was horribly delusional … I loved my mother and was always grateful to her for parental sacrifice, but then, in her last years, it was not easy between us. As she was dying, she whispered, “I forgive you for everything … I forgave her too.”
Danuś, do something with yourself!
– At the age of 53, I was a very obese, though not bad, woman with a grown-up son, after two unsuccessful relationships, and with a very sick mother under my care. I would be lying if I said my life was a streak of sadness and nocturnal gobbling. By nature, after all, I am quite a cheerful and life-loving person. I have a lot of naive trust that loses me sometimes, but it also makes me believe that people are good and that the worst thing is losing hope. A longtime friend who knew my dilemmas and transitions called me at the perfect time; – Danuś, if you want to change your appearance, I give you the information on the program implemented by the Food and Nutrition Institute. It’s called Stay Balance, she announced with excitement in her voice.
I called. From the beginning of the conversation, I was struck by the fact that the program is fully professional. 12 weeks of work with the patient were offered under the supervision of specialists: a dietitian, psychologist and even a personal trainer. The project was sponsored by the Swiss and implemented at the Bródno Hospital. Before I was included in it, I underwent a series of meticulous medical examinations, including my heart and thyroid gland, which I had treated before. It turned out, for example, that for my heart I cannot take part in three classes a week, but in two. Diabetes was also diagnosed, so I was able to start treating it. But the greatest thing was that I felt in safe hands, incredibly “looked after”. The whole team of people wanted me to lose weight, but most of all: that I would be in good health and learn not to bring myself to a weight of almost one hundred kilograms in the future! During the session with the psychologist, I understood the motives of my snacking, and the dietitian explained for me why my eating habits are so disastrous and what to do to replace them with new and healthy ones and remain faithful to them. Although I lost a little weight during the program – eight kilograms, I know that there were people who did not manage to do so at all. Why? There was a lack of discipline and motivation, and when it is lacking, the best specialists will do nothing.
People, I’m losing weight!
Participation in the program was one of the funniest adventures of my life. I loved sports and aqua aerobics. I felt that my body was not only thinning. It took on lightness and elasticity. “I grew younger”! Even my boss complimented me at work. I knew this was not a false compliment. In the mirror I can see that my legs are really great. I wear the mini again.
After completing the program, I was under the care of the metabolic clinic and slowly but surely I was losing more “rolls” of fat. I remembered the instructions of the psychologist: – Head up and shoulder blades pulled back. Just a slight change in your body posture will make you feel more confident!
I still went to the gym. I was happy to throw out old, baggy clothes from the wardrobe. I told myself that my goal was not to be thin, but to feel great in my own skin. Get off that “turtle shell” that is overwhelming me and “stabs” me in the ground. I wanted to be healthy, and weight loss, sports, and a new style of eating were all to help me with that.
Today I can say that “Keep your Balance” gave me a kick, I did not waste my chance. I put into practice everything I learned. And I lost over 20 kilos. Recently, a saleswoman in a local shop joked: – Can you finally stop ?! It was a compliment, not a message that I looked weak. Today I am an attractive woman, I feel much better than when I was much younger! I still have a lot of problems, like almost everyone. My story does not end with a banal happy ending like: “she lost weight, she fell in love”. Not! I have dimples, bad days, evenings when I “dive” in the refrigerator. I accept them. I know they will pass away. And I have an “emotional emergency” – my wonderful friends!
One thing I know: I never want to be a “whale” ever again. I mean not only weight, but the weight of the emotions that overwhelm me, heavy mood, low self-esteem.
A man from the past recently appeared on the horizon. He offered a date. I laughed, “You’ve had your time!” I am not running away from people, but I am not desperately chasing love either. Today I can take care of myself.