Martin's story

I really wanted to lose weight and be more conscious of what I was eating and how I was living. So I thought a blood test would help me understand how my body was reacting to my new diet.

Looking at my first set of test results was amazing. I knew this was something important for my health journey. I discovered that some of my results were too low, and others were too high. I thought, what happens if I change what I eat and how much I eat — how will that impact my health? I’d started trying to lose weight a long time ago, but hadn't done a lot of analysis on it. 

After seeing how slow my progress was initially, I got to a point where I'd said to myself, hang on, I need to try and make serious changes to see any difference. I understood that I needed to eat less and exercise more — the obvious things. But I’d only really lost a stone and wasn't clear which other factors would help me achieve my goal. 

The tests complimented my health journey really well. I was able to monitor my improvements across time. I tested every 3 months, understanding that it takes a little while for your body to react to your lifestyle changes. 3 months is when you usually see changes after making adjustments.

Now I look back at my results from 4 years ago to see how far I’ve come, which is very rewarding. My journey to better health hasn’t been easy. But what helped me push on was the incentive of seeing results that I needed to change for my own good — seeing if what I'd been doing had worked. Instant feedback!

I had a few reality checks too. I never expected my omega-3 levels to be low because of the fish I was eating. But my results showed me I still wasn’t getting enough, so the Thriva GP who reviewed my results recommended I eat more oily fish. I also started eating linseeds every day, and now my levels have improved.

I’ve got heaps more energy now, and I don’t feel sluggish or tired. I used to feel this way a lot, but my diet’s changed for good, and so have my moods. Now I use an effort-reward system when I want to eat something that’s not so nutritious. For example, if I want to eat butter, I can — but I can’t just buy it, I have to make it!

It’s been a positive change for the whole family. My wife and I eat so much fruit and vegetables every day now. As well as losing weight, I’m now able to make sure I’m totally healthy.