Duane rebuilt his self-esteem by losing an incredible 30kg

Duane, 38, Campbelltown

A quick background

My weight has always been up and down. I actually only really started gaining weight back in 2014 when I was placed on anti-migraine tablets which had a known side effect of massive weight gain, something my doctor failed to tell me about. Over the next two years, I gained 30kg in weight.

In 2016, I decided that I needed to lose the weight. I was being picked on at work for being fat and my self-esteem dropped dramatically as a result.

Getting started

I tried a number of different diets and meal replacements but was unable to lose any weight. I was still on the medication at this stage and hadn't yet found out about the weight gain side effect. I had seen The Man Shake on Facebook so after I stopped the medication, I decided to give it a go.

Being a shift worker, I found it difficult in the beginning to have a shake in the morning and at lunch, but now it's part of my daily routine. My favourite flavour is caramel.

This was in 2016, and I managed to lose 20kg. Unfortunately, I had to stop the diet for financial reasons but controlled my weight during that time.

Thanks to The Man Shake, I've lost 30 kilos

Since getting back on the shakes, I've managed to lose another 10kg so far and I've dropped my pant size down from a 107 to a 92 and still going.

Since losing the weight, my self-esteem has risen and I can do so much more now my weight isn't restricting me. The biggest difference is how much happier I am, I like seeing photos of myself now!

What would you say to anyone starting out?

I would say to anyone who is starting up to not give up when you have a small weight loss week or even if you gain some back every so often and focus on what the end result will be.