Sometimes you come across a transformation that is mind blowing – Renz’s transformation is just that. Her journey has spanned five years and she has gone from fat to fab and fit – what a transformation. Her Plastic Surgeon, Dr Justin Perron from Form & Function Clinic in Brisbane, helped her reach her ‘happy with my body’ point. I met Renz a few years ago in a closed FB group we are both a part of and can’t wait to share her story with you. It’s long, but it’s been a big journey and we wanted to share it from the start. You can check out her transformation timeline at the end of this blog too.
Renz is 33 (and she says going on 18), married with 3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 10 chickens; so as you can imagine she’s pretty busy – oh, and she has a full-time job to boot, and is studying to become a personal trainer – phew – I’m exhausted already!
During high school, Renz suffered from bulimia, and at her lowest weight was 44kg – and for a 168cm tall young girl – in her own words – she was not well. Being the strong, determined woman she is, Renz got over it and at the age of 17 her bulimia was behind her and she seemed to be stable at 63kg. She got pregnant at the age of 18, and says she just ate and ate whatever she wanted, when she wanted. Her portion sizes she says “were huge”.
Three children later, and at the age of 26, Renz found herself in hospital with acute kidney failure. She had reached around 127kg. The doctor told her she wouldn’t see her 30th birthday! He didn’t mention her weight – it was very matter of fact – that was it. She spent the next year or so umming and ahhhing about weightloss surgery. Finally she decided to go ahead with having a gastric sleeve.
Renz had the sleeve in March 2012 at 127kg. Most of her excess weight was lost in the first 6-12 months, and she says “to be honest I looked a bit gaunt, and I’d only gotten down to 72kg”. Then she stopped going to the gym and got back up to around 85kg, and it wasn’t until last year that decided to go back to the gym. That has been a godsend for her. She went back end of Feb 2016, lost an additional 20kg and sits happily today at around 67kgs.
In July 2014 Renz had a breast augmentation, because after all the weightloss she had only 5mm of breast tissue – that’s what her plastic surgeon at the time told her. She decided to get 500cc high profile textured implants, which she felt was the perfect choice for her frame.
Moving forward to 2016 Renz started on the research for the biggest part of her transformation. She had lost all the weight she was going to lose, she was toned up and fit, but the excess skin was “getting to my head” as she puts it. She went back to the surgeon that did her breast augmentation, but decided “it just didn’t feel right, he wasn’t focusing on what I wanted to achieve”.
Renz set about researching for a new surgeon. She is a member of a few closed Facebook groups and on the Plastic Surgery Hub Support Group, she came across Dr Justin Perron who was based in Brisbane. Although she originally was wanting to go with a surgeon on the Gold Coast which was closer to home, she was so impressed with Dr Perron that she decided to book a consult with him, and went prepared with a list of what she wanted to achieve.
Surgery was booked, and in February 2017 Renz underwent a massive 7.5 hour surgery and had multiple procedures, which included:-
After the huge operation, Renz says she had to virtually learn to walk again. She said the first 4-5 weeks were absolute hell, but Dr Perron and his office staff were always reassuring and just a phone call away. She also says that the support she received from the Facebook groups was phenomenal and without the group she doesn’t know if she would have managed, especially the day she came home from hospital.
Today, Renz is 16 weeks post-op and life is glorious. She has always suffered from body dysmorphia and says “I probably always will” but she’s happy with where she is at. She says “when I start to doubt myself and my body I always have to think of where I started from”. “People sometimes have unrealistic expectations of what is possible to be achieved but after losing half of my weight, I understand I’ll never look like a model, but I’m fit, I’m healthy, and yes, I still have my little breakdowns, but it’s easier to break through nowadays”.
The biggest change in the last 5 years for Renz she says is “it’s easier to shop. I can just grab anything of the rack and say yup that will fit, and it does.” It’s even easier to online shop too. The changes to her life are that she is happier as a person. She said that her friends and family and even work colleagues and customers all say she radiates confidence – something that she’s never been able to do. “At the gym I take longer to do the training because I’m checking my technique. I never would have been able to look at my body for so long before.” She said “I’m excited about becoming a personal trainer, I hope I can make it to the end – it’s not easy!”
Good luck and congratulations Renz, you rock and are a true inspiration!
RENZ’S TRANSFORMATION TIMELINE
Mar 2012 Gastric Sleeve (at 127kg)
July 2014 Breast Augmentation (at 80kg)
Feb 2017 Circumferential body lift, abdominoplasty, butt lift, thigh lift, thigh liposuction (at 73kg)
If you’d like more information on Dr Justin Perron check out the blogs below or if you’d like to arrange a consultation phone his clinic on (07) 3010 3300.
Looking for a valuable source of information about your procedures? Dr Perron has made it easy…
The Ins and Outs of Angela’s Breast Augmentation and Tummy Tuck with Dr Justin Perron