Weight loss is a breeze at Gail’s… but don’t take it from us!
These men and women are among our hundreds of success stories, and their inches and pounds are part of the thousands lost over the years that we’ve been here to support you, Saskatoon!
“Tomorrow” I’m going on a weight loss program. That’s what I kept telling myself month after month turning into year after year! I’d start dieting and exercising on my own and it would last for a few days.
Then something or some occasion would happen and I’d vow to start again next week. I knew I needed to lose 40 pounds but I just couldn’t get motivated.
We spent our winter in Palm Springs and with “happy hours” and eating out a lot my weight crept up even more. I went to my Doctor for a check up, and my blood sugar and cholesterol levels were heading upward. Having high blood pressure, acid reflux and uncontrolled IBS, the time was now to get serious about my health. I have a husband, kids and grandchildren whom I want to be around for a long time and to be healthy and active.
I had been on another weight loss program a few years ago and I did lose weight. They sold me some of their food and supplements and when I was done, the weight came back on.
I saw an ad for Gail’s Nutrition and Weight Loss program, using real food and not trying to sell me supplements.
I went to see Denise, a little skeptical, but came out feeling enthused and with renewed hope that I could do this!
It was a little challenging in the beginning, but it got easier by the week. The weight was coming off, I was eating right, I was feeling better both physically and mentally. Denise guided me through, always with a positive attitude. She helped me when I’d struggle and need advice on such things as eating in restaurants or going to a grandchild's birthday. You can’t not have a piece of their birthday cake!
I’m proud to say I am now almost 44 pounds down and I’ve lost an incredible 63 inches!
My medication for high blood pressure is now minimal, no more acid reflux, blood sugar and cholesterol levels are back to normal and my dreaded IBS symptoms are under control!
I feel great! I’ve got more energy and more confidence. I enjoy going out and being around people again. Shopping for clothes is a pleasure now, not a dreaded necessity!
Thanks to Denise and Gail’s Nutrition and Weight Loss I’ve got the healthier and happier me back!
I am now embarking on their Maintenance Program, to keep that weight off for the rest of my life! It has truly taught me how to eat and still enjoy my life!
— Kathy G.
I started noticing that over the last many years, winter would come to an end and I would be 5-7 pounds heavier. I figured that once summer arrived I would lose it again but it never seemed to happen. I would then try some tips someone told me would work and still no luck.
I happened to find out about Gail's through a promotion at work and decided that I would go and see what she had to offer. I told Denise right off the start that I am not interested in having to buy food from a diet center and I wanted to learn how to eat and what I can eat to get back to a healthy weight again and get my energy back. I also wanted to enjoy what I ate and didn't want to live on rice cakes or cauliflower. She explained to me that it was their philosophy to educate the client to be able to live a healthy lifestyle even after their diet program was done. To be honest I was a bit skeptical at the start but went in with an open mind. She set up a program for me, took my weight and measurements, and we started my journey. Weight loss occurred right off the start as I saw the numbers drop on the scale. I figured I would be happy with 10 lbs lost, and then hey! 20 lbs would be awesome. By the time the dust settled I had lost 41 lbs and 26 inches which put me back to lower than I was 18 years ago. It was a great feeling to have the people actually notice the difference and I felt so much better as well. The weight loss gave me the energy to be able to become more active which also toned things up improving my results even more. It all started with the right eating habits and knowing what and how much a person needs.
I understand that this is a new and improved way of living my life and there will be ups and downs but hopefully I have learned enough from this experience to make it through them and achieve a healthier way of life.
— Kevin S.
Life is all about choices. Some choices may affect us in a trivial manner, other choices have a profound impact in our life’s journey. Who could have known that one simple phone call in march 2010 to Gail’s Weight Loss Centre would provide me with the support and guidance needed to make a significant change in my life.
I joined Gail’s weight loss program and lost 60lbs! I am eating healthier, have increased energy, vitality and improved overall health. Family and friends are amazed and want to know my secret! I'm happy to share my story with them!
Elaine Lost an Amazing 60 Pounds and 84 Inches! Who said losing weight, gaining your health back and literally taking years off yourself in retirement couldn't be done! Elaine is living proof that it CAN! - Denise Henry, Owner
— Elaine F.
I grew up being a skinny kid. Always active in sports and play, and a picky eater when I was young contributed to my slim physique. I believe when I graduated from grade 12 I was 160lbs and 6 feet tall. As I got into my 30’s and 40’s I was starting to put on the weight because of less activity, and bad eating habits. I also have a sweet tooth, and often had an extra-large Tim Horton’s with 4 sugars two cream. Sitting down in the evening to watch TV usually involved some sort of snack like chips, popcorn or ice cream. I wouldn’t drink a lot of pop, but the occasional Pepsi a couple times a week would be part of my routine.
I fluctuated between 225 and 240lbs over the last 5 years. With this weight gain, came stiff muscles, the feeling of being full and bloated and lack of energy. I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea a few years ago and started wearing an appliance to help with breathing and loud snoring. These appliances are not the most comfortable and would wake me up frequently through the night… that and the odd elbow from the wife.
Also my family has a history of Diabetes, and I was starting to feel I was headed in the same path and would be diagnosed with it if I didn’t do something about it.
4 years back I had a Gastroscopy surgery done to help me with a problem I was having with swallowing food. This fixed the problem, but I was prescribed with Omeprazole for the rest of my life to help with the Acid Reflex that comes from that.
Now to the program…..
I receive this email as a health promotion from the City of Saskatoon. They had a promotion for 50% off a 12 week weight loss program. The winner would get $500 and a free makeover. If you know me, I can’t resist a deal and a little competition. Actually I was in it for the makeover J
I emailed it to my wife and wondered if she was ok with me going into the program and if she would help support me. She replied back with a “who is this and why have you hacked my husband’s email.”
I planned on starting right after I got back from a weeks’ vacation at an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. I might as well bulk up a little to get one up on my competition. Well that back fired and I weighed in at 230 instead of the 235-240 I thought I was going to weigh in at. But I sat down with Denise and we went through the diet for the first three days.
She started me off with a conditioning and cleansing 3 days. I was ok with the fruit and protein, but I didn’t eat much salad before and drinking 8 glasses of water in a day was the initial challenge for me. After the first three days, she expanded what foods I could eat and then again in 3 weeks another expanded list of foods. I continued to stick to this healthy eating program.
Within a week I was losing weight and gaining my energy back. I started leaving my sleep apnea appliance off at night and was sleeping better. I haven’t used it for the last two months and unless I have a cold, the elbows aren’t coming my way anymore.
I also took a grocery tour with one of the employees of Gail’s weight loss and got a good idea on what to look for on labels and what to stay away from.
I stuck to my guns in the 12 weeks and kept with the program. I must admit I cheated every once in a while when I was away from my normal routine and had a slice of pizza, or a piece of cake. I washed it down with lots of water (I’m sure that helped).
I managed to lose 25lbs and 11” on my body. The most I noticed was in my waist. I dropped from a 38” pant to a size 34.” My face and neck thinned out and I am feeling healthy.
I recently went to my doctor and asked about going off the Acid reflex pills, so I’m 3 days in without those pills, so if I can eliminate that for the rest of my life, I’m sure that will be a benefit.
I never mentioned before, but I was popping a lot of Advil for my sore body before I started this diet. I’ve gotten rid of that dependency and only take the odd Advil a couple times a month instead of daily.
I didn’t win the contest and didn’t get the extreme make over, but I think in a way I am a winner with improved health, better eating habits and direction from Gail’s Nutrition and Weight Loss to keep the weight from coming back.
— Dean G.
Over the years, with a slowing metabolism, a sedentary desk job, not enough exercise and some bad eating habits, my weight continued to sneak up on me. I was ready to go up yet another size in clothes and I was extremely unhappy with my body image. I would look in the mirror and say, “How could I let this happen?” I didn’t feel good, my energy level was low and I was starting to suffer from heart burn. I knew a lifestyle change was in order but I wasn’t sure how to begin and how to be successful.
The light when on one day when I received an email from my employer with an incentive program they had worked out with Gail’s Nutrition and Weight Loss Centre. The proposal was that employees wishing to lose weight could sign up for a 12 week weight loss competition. Incentives were that there would be weekly prizes for whoever could lose the most each week and a larger prize at the end of the competition for the most successful person. Weekly prizes consisted of things to aid weight loss such as a pedometer, an exercise band or a yoga tape. This was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. I knew that I had to lose those extra pounds, but needed a kick-start such as this friendly co-worker competition. While everything was kept confidential for each person, there was still a shared camaraderie amongst the participants as we all shared the same common goal – losing weight to feel and look better.
I attended a presentation prior to the start of the competition and was intrigued as this was a program that I believed could work – no shakes, bars or supplements. It was all about making wise food choices and learning about portion control. It is a practical and economical method of losing weight. The program also included a trip to the grocery store to read food labels and gave me ideas on how I could improve my shopping habits to encourage healthy eating at home. I really enjoyed learning form Terri as she gave me pointers and shared her expertise.
My experience is that to be successful you must be of the right mindset – I CAN do this and I WILL be successful.
The first time I met with Denise Henry alone to have my weight and measurements taken, she set a up a personal menu for me. I was impressed about her positive approach about how the pounds would just melt off me if I followed this plan. She didn’t even entertain any negative thoughts that perhaps I may not be successful. Denise views the world as the “glass is half full” not “half empty”. It is amazing how important this positive approach is to get started. Once the weight started coming of, I started counting notches in my black leather belt as my waistline shrank. It was easy to spot another lost inch as I continued to synch up the belt yet another hole. I actually got to the point where my husband had to make me a new hole in my belt to hold my pants up!
It is very important to have positive coaches (Denise Henry and staff) to encourage and support you because there are often bad eating habits to break and they assist you when you come upon your own personal road block. They set up a menu plan for you to follow according to your body type. It did require a willingness and commitment on my part to stay on track and follow the plan, especially over the Christmas season which is full of parties with tantalizing food, beverages and chocolates. Our goal was to maintain the lost weight rather than lose more weight during this season of overindulgences.
It is truly amazing that you can lose weight without starving yourself by following the plan. On your journey you will find family and friends who will support your efforts, but you will also be exposed to those people in your life who are quite willing to assist you in sabotaging your efforts for success. My new motto this year is to surround myself with positive people who make me feel good about myself.
Now that I have lost 36 pounds and a total of 48 inches, I look forward to maintaining my weight loss. There is no way that I wish to return to my previous size. I had forgotten what a good feeling it is to try on new clothes and actually like myself in the mirror. What fun I am having clothes shopping with my daughter, who is proud of her mother’s success. By the way…I also got a new belt!
— Judy G.
Hi! My name is Amy. I’m 30 years old, married and have 3 children ages 4 years, 2.5 years and 7 months. I started to struggle with my weight after high school when I moved to Saskatoon from a small town. I found fast food places, eating out and going to bars to be my new lifestyle.
I put on 35lbs over 5 or 6 years and then fluctuated back and forth about 10 pounds. It seemed I wasn’t truly ready to change until I looked in the mirror and decided I’d rather be healthy and skinny than associate everything I enjoyed in my life with food. I have never been able to lose weight on my own. Positive thinking, a great support system and the one on one counseling approach from Gail’s was needed for me to come as far as I have in my weight loss journey.
I achieved my goal weight in 2008 before my pregnancies through Gail’s program. I knew from that point on just how awesome feeling good and looking great was. I lost 40lbs and 57 inches and never felt better. I vowed I’d either be pregnant or skinny for the rest of my life! Well, I knew I was ready to be done with extra weight after being pregnant for what felt like 4 years! Knowing that I wasn’t trying to slim down for an occasion or tackling a New Year’s resolution was the first step to success. I was open and honest with my Gail’s councilor about how my old eating habits had come back to haunt me, especially since they were the “well I’m pregnant, so it’s okay to have 2 donuts and an iced cap everyday” type.
I joined Gail’s again when my son was 6 weeks old. They have such a wide variety of programs and even had one for breastfeeding moms like me. Denise was able to tweak my personal program for my hunger and sleep deprivation during those first few months of have 2 toddlers and a newborn. Going to Gail’s twice a week has become a ritual for my kids and me. Vocalizing my worry over upcoming weddings, birthdays or any celebration that will inevitable involve food really helped me conquer the looming fear of what will I be able to eat? How can I do this the smart way and not undo all my hard work? Denise was there every step of the way to show me tricks and tools to prepare for these things as they come. Each event could be dealt with individually instead of letting them pile up into a cycle of overeating and guilt about it leading to overeating again and so on.
Denise was always able to motivate me without ever being condescending and made me realize that I can motivate myself. I can’t do it completely for my kids or my husband. I have to be a tiny bit selfish and do it for ME because I’m worth the effort. I deserve the successes I worked toward and it’s ok to be a confident, beautiful me! I lost 60lbs and 76 inches. It feels great to be able to go to the park and run with my kids and not be out of breath. It doesn’t hurt that I can put on a hot dress and go out for the evening either! When I was overweight everything I did felt like it took too much energy. Now going for a walk pushing all 3 kids in one stroller is a good workout instead of some unimaginable feat.
I owe it all to Gail’s!
— Amy P.
I have lost over 30 pounds on this program. I am a true believer in it not only for the weight loss but for the nutrition aspect as well.
You never go hungry and being in charge of your own groceries is a huge advantage. Your portions are all given to you by the wonderful staff and no pills required.
There is a long history of diabetes in my family and I was always paranoid of becoming diabetic. This being the motivating reason to become a Nutritionist! So I am well aware how such a healthy program can be a healthy lifestyle change.
It really is a lifestyle change. I feel so much better both physically and mentally. It just keeps getting easier and easier. I have also learned so much on grocery shopping that I thought I already knew.
The cost of the program is the lowest in Saskatoon which contributes to the great success that this program has experienced for many years.
Losing 2 pounds or more per week is not as hard as you may think. It is a tremendously rewarding feeling to know that I was able to do this. Now I am ready to begin the Lifetime Maintenance to keep it all off!
My faith in this Program is such that I am now employed by Gail’s Weight Loss, and eventually ended up buying the business from Gail!!! It is what I have been interested in for quite some time. I think if I had never been on this Program myself I would have found it difficult to relate to our clients BUT like the saying is “ Been there, Done that” and enjoying every minute of it.
— Denise Henry, CHN — Owner of Gail’s