One of the most rewarding days of my life, was the day my husband and I decided to research the cause of my obesity.

I cannot adequately express the indignity, humiliation, discrimination, and heartache I was made to endure, because I was overweight.

Every time I got onto the scale I weighed more. Nobody believed that I was not eating secretly. Every well-meaning person I encountered tried to give me advice on how to lose weight - kelp, lecithin, chromium, etc. etc. You name it, I tried it!

I was depressed by all the doctors telling me to lose weight, yet I was eating less than my children. The medical perception was that I was overeating. I was labelled and put into a box as a glutton. I was tired of being ripped off by so-called experts in the weight-loss industry.

My doctor was wrong. It was my metabolism and not my lack of self-control. The relief I felt when I realised that I was, after all, correct in my belief that I do have a medical problem and not a mental one, cannot be described.

Through our research and the subsequent 'birth' of the SureSlim programme, I was able to lose 88 lbs (and for the first time in my life I can maintain my weight loss.) I no longer fear my bathroom scale or, for that matter, the mirror so much anymore.

But the greatest satisfaction I feel stems from the fact that, through our research, so many other people have been helped to take control of their weight and their life. So many people who were desperately ill, desperately unhappy, and just plain desperate now experience a happy and full life.

I have been there. I have experienced all the pain connected to obesity. That is why we endeavour to treat every person that joins SureSlim with care, love, and professionalism.

My belief is that there is no greater qualification in the weight-loss game than having experienced and overcome it yourself. To all those people out there - please endure. The benefits you experience on the SureSlim eating programme outweigh any hardship you may experience by far!!!

Petro Tulloch, SureSlim Co-founder