DNA profiling helped size 24 woman shift half her body weight

A size 24 woman forced to sleep with a special machine to stop her being suffocated by her own weight has undergone a jaw-dropping transformation thanks to DNA profiling.

Allison Rushford, 54, from Portsmouth believes she reached around 20 stone at her heaviest after she stopped weighing herself at 16 stone.

After being diagnosed with sleep apnea – where the walls of the throat relax and narrow, causing breathing to stop and start throughout the night – doctors warned Allison that she desperately needed to slim down. 

Eventually, after disasters on everything from the Atkins to the cabbage soup diet, Allison found a ‘miracle’ weight loss plan which uses genetic profiling to tailor fitness and nutrition to the individual.

But the sheltered housing scheme manager now believes she has shed more than half her body weight, now weighing a svelte 9 stone. 

She now weighs a svelte 9 stone

Transformation: Allison Rushford, 54, from Portsmouth believes she reached around 20 stone at her heaviest (left) but she now weighs a svelte 9 stone (right)

In December 2017, she was able to hand the sleep machine she had needed every night back to her local hospital.

She said: ‘I believe I’ve lost half my body weight as, I look back on photos now and know I was a lot more than 16 stone. I must have been about 18 stone to 20 stone.

‘I make sure I keep those photos as a reminder not to go down that road again. I still have the odd quiet moment where I’ll look back in disbelief at how I was.

‘I’m so much happier now, though. People don’t even recognise me, which is really humbling.’

As a young woman Allison, who is married to John, 55, managed to maintain a shapely figure, despite not eating a particularly healthy diet.

Allison before embarking on her diet. She recalled: 'I look back on photos now and know I was a lot more than 16 stone. I must have been about 18 stone to 20 stone'

Allison before embarking on her diet. She recalled: ‘I look back on photos now and know I was a lot more than 16 stone. I must have been about 18 stone to 20 stone’

Overweight and unhappy, Allison (pictured in 2015) recalled: 'I'd stopped laughing for so long. Looking back at old pictures, I'm smiling – but you can see in my eyes I'm not happy'

Overweight and unhappy, Allison (pictured in 2015) recalled: ‘I’d stopped laughing for so long. Looking back at old pictures, I’m smiling – but you can see in my eyes I’m not happy’

Allison with husband John before her weight loss. She admitted: 'Throughout my journey the things that kept me going is the support from my husband and trainer'

Allison with husband John before her weight loss. She admitted: ‘Throughout my journey the things that kept me going is the support from my husband and trainer’

Developing a keen interest in the gym, in 2010 she became a fitness instructor, regularly teaching Pilates.

Then, within six months, she started experiencing agonising back pain and her fitness regime came to a grinding halt.

She explained: ‘I’d be crying out day and night with it. My heart goes out to people who deal with chronic pain, day in, day out. I only had a small taste of it and it was incredibly difficult.’

Eventually, doctors discovered that a bone was pressing against her sciatic nerve, causing agonising pain and, in 2011, it was operated on at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Sadly, in the meantime, driven to distraction by pain and unable to exercise, Allison had turned to comfort eating.

Allison with her husband John before starting her diet. After being diagnosed with sleep apnea - where the walls of the throat relax and narrow, causing breathing to stop and start throughout the night - doctors warned Allison that she desperately needed to slim down

Allison with her husband John before starting her diet. After being diagnosed with sleep apnea – where the walls of the throat relax and narrow, causing breathing to stop and start throughout the night – doctors warned Allison that she desperately needed to slim down

Allison hits the gym in September 2018. She revealed: 'The health benefits I have experienced, namely the increased energy, improved posture, flexibility, mobility and better skin'

Allison hits the gym in September 2018. She revealed: ‘The health benefits I have experienced, namely the increased energy, improved posture, flexibility, mobility and better skin’

Allison working out at the gym. After embarking on her diet she set a goal weight of 9 stone 5 lbs, and as she worked out more and more, the pounds began to melt away

Allison working out at the gym. After embarking on her diet she set a goal weight of 9 stone 5 lbs, and as she worked out more and more, the pounds began to melt away

Allison with her trainer Antony, whose support she credits for helping her slim down. She believes she has now shed about half of her body weight

Allison with her trainer Antony, whose support she credits for helping her slim down. She believes she has now shed about half of her body weight

‘My diet was appalling,’ she admitted. ‘I’d have a Greggs pasty for breakfast every day, then snack constantly. My weakness was biscuits. I’d also get a lot of Chinese and Indian takeaways.

‘The weight was steadily piling on, but I couldn’t see a way out.’ 

Unfortunately, after her first bout of surgery was unsuccessful, Allison had another operation in 2012, again at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

It worked, relieving her pain, although she still had sleep apnea – leaving her with her doctor’s chilling warning about her weight echoing in her mind.

And while her back had improved, other health issues rumbled on, including severely heavy periods, which eventually saw her needing a hysterectomy in 2015.

‘It’d been very difficult to live with. I stopped going out, it took over everything,’ she said. ‘But after the hysterectomy, I finally felt I’d got a little bit of me back.

Allison (pictured in September 2017) now hits the gym five to six times a week and says that learning about nutrition has helped improve her workouts

Allison (pictured in September 2017) now hits the gym five to six times a week and says that learning about nutrition has helped improve her workouts

‘After that, I joined a few slimming groups and managed to lose a little, but I was still avoiding joining the gym.’ 

Finally, in November 2016, Allison decided enough was enough. She recalled: ‘I simply turned to John and said, ‘I’ve got to change. If I don’t do it now, I never will.’

Allison rejoined the gym, setting a goal weight of 9 stone 5 lbs, and as she worked out more and more, the pounds began to melt away.

Then, in February 2017, she took a DNAFit genetics test. The results gave her an insight into the make-up of her body and she was given recipes tailored to her needs and strengths.

She said: ‘The test results recommended both John and I follow a Mediterranean diet, which we do now.

‘It came out with all sorts of results I was surprised at, like the fact I’m not good at processing caffeine, when I’d been drinking about eight coffees a day. I also discovered my body breaks down alcohol much slower than usual.’

Allison with her DNAFit results and plan. Sugary snacks and fatty takeaways are now a thing of the past, instead she enjoys fresh, home-cooked meals, packed with vegetables, healthy proteins and vitamins

Allison with her DNAFit results and plan. Sugary snacks and fatty takeaways are now a thing of the past, instead she enjoys fresh, home-cooked meals, packed with vegetables, healthy proteins and vitamins

Allison in 2015. Recalling her overweight years, she said: 'My diet was appalling. I'd have a Greggs pasty for breakfast every day, then snack constantly. My weakness was biscuits. I'd also get a lot of Chinese and Indian takeaways'

Allison in 2015. Recalling her overweight years, she said: ‘My diet was appalling. I’d have a Greggs pasty for breakfast every day, then snack constantly. My weakness was biscuits. I’d also get a lot of Chinese and Indian takeaways’

Since then, sugary snacks and fatty takeaways are now a thing of the past, instead she enjoys fresh, home-cooked meals, packed with vegetables, healthy proteins and vitamins.

‘Now I’ve cut out all that unhealthy food, my body no longer craves it,’ she explained.

Allison also hits the gym five to six times a week and says that learning about nutrition has helped improve her workouts.

These days, her confidence has soared and she weighs just 9 stone, wearing a size 8 on the bottom and a 10 on top.

‘I have such a different life now,’ she said. ‘I’d stopped laughing for so long. Looking back at old pictures, I’m smiling – but you can see in my eyes I’m not happy.

‘Now, I have fun again. Throughout my journey the things that kept me going is the support from my husband and trainer, and the health benefits I have experienced, namely the increased energy, improved posture, flexibility, mobility and better skin.

‘I’m completely overwhelmed by it all, but I feel like a new woman.’ 

For information, visit www.dnafit.com 

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