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I started something new last October 9, 2025 and it feels very different from every diet, cleanse, or fitness kick I’ve done before. This time, I’m part of ProAesthetics Davao’s physician-supervised weight loss program, led by Dr. Sharon Atienza-Gaurino, who trained with the Obesity Medicine Association in the US.

Instead of another “try harder” plan, this program combines medical treatment (GLP-1 and/or oral medications) with a structured, personalized diet. And for the first time in my life, it actually feels… sustainable.

Facing My Weight Story Before Day 1

Before I was injected, Dr. Sharon sat me down to talk about my relationship with food and weight. For context, I’ve lived through it all: unsolicited advice, body shaming, extreme diets, and emotional eating cycles.

Every time I tried to lose weight, I ended up on an extreme path: calorie counting, boxing, zumba, even the infamous HCG diet. I’d lose some weight but rebound harder, or end up being nauseous, because nothing felt balanced or sustainable.

So when Doc asked me for my “deepest why,” I realized: I’m just tired. Tired of the cycle. Tired of the noise. I want to do something that will actually last.

For the better part of my teenage and adult life, it was all about the weight, size, and how to lose it. I got to a point where I resented it and just didn’t care anymore.

A horrible thing about living in the Philippines is how easy people body shame and that’s what happened to me since puberty. I was a super skinny kid and when I hit 12, I started getting bigger, which is obviously reasonable, but was confronted with constant put-downs about how big I was getting. How I should diet, how I should workout.

So, at 12, I started going to the gym. One summer, we went to the gym, started boxing, and at that time, it was empowering for me. I thought I was gonna lose the weight but I didn’t. It wasn’t sustainable because everyday we’d eat at a restaurant nearby or have desserts.

In my sophomore year in highschool, I was fresh off a friendship breakup and would only eat 1-2 spanish bread for lunch every day. I got skinny but it wasn’t sustainable. The thing is, I wasn’t even that big. I was chubby but even at my thinnest during puberty, I still looked big because everyone else around me was stick-thin.

This was ages before the body positivity movement. We didn’t know that people had different body habitus. Back then, women around me: my mum, my lola, my aunts and cousins would always say how big their thighs and arms were. Toxic.

What Happened After My First Injection

The first thing I noticed was something I never fully understood until it was gone: the food noise.

Food noise is that constant chatter in your head; the cravings, the “I need something salty,” the urge to open the fridge even when you’re not hungry. I’ve always been an emotional eater, but within days of my first injection, that nagging voice was just… quiet. I wasn’t experiencing hunger or the constant urge to stuff my face with chips or snacks.

Other effects so far:

• I don’t feel hungry at all (which is wild for me).
• I don’t get triggered into emotional snacking when I’m stressed.
• Following the diet feels easier… not because I have willpower overnight, but because my appetite finally matches my goals.

And this was just the starting dose.

Why This Program Feels Different

Unlike the extremes I used to put myself through, this program feels structured but kind:

• A balanced diet plan with proteins, vegetables, fruit, and carbs in realistic portions.
• Weekly doctor visits and check-ins to monitor progress and side effects.
• Medical treatment that’s clinically proven to help with both weight loss and long-term health.

It’s not a quick fix. It’s a system built for accountability and sustainability.

I started actively trying to lose weight on September 10, 2025. I first bought a scale and upon checking, I was at my heaviest: 91.50 kgs. At 4’11, this was NOT ideal. I started a calorie deficit, started walking again, and did my usual dieting. While my willpower this time was stronger, I still binged. I lost 2 kgs that first month, though.

My weight at the end of the first week with ProAesthetics’ Weight Loss Program? 85 kgs. I lost 3.55 kgs that first week and I was ecstatic because it didnt’ feel like anything. I just followed the program and found it achievable. I didn’t feel the urge to binge, snack, and even eat (but obviously I had to.)

So, if you’re looking for a Weight Loss Program in Davao that’s sustainable, promotes accountability, and full of support, visit ProAesthetics Aesthetics Medicine Specialty Clinic at the 2nd floor of JV’s Peak Bldg. in Ma-a.