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José Maria Tallon

Founder of the Clínica Dr. Tallon

José Maria Tallon is a doctor, having dedicated his career to «striving for the well-being of people». He was born in Granada, where he thought he would live all his life, but he came to Portugal for the first time, moved by his interest in rallies, met the Portuguese and fell in love. He decided to come back later to complete his specialisation, set up a practice, and one thing led to another and he stayed here. Close to turning 60, he tells us that age does not scare him, but that time passes so quickly does. Known primarily for helping people lose weight, Tallon is primarily concerned with helping people change their life habits, so that they feel good. And therefore he does not go without enjoying life or eating, which he claims to be one of his greatest pleasures.

José Maria Tallon
This year, Clínica do Dr. Tallon celebrated 32 years. When you look back, what has marked you the most in the course of these decades?
Looking back what hits me most is realising how time goes by so fast. To think that I’m going to be 60 in a few days is something with which I have some difficulty, not in accepting, because I feel absolutely fine about that, but because it makes me think that I’m 60 years old and to me it feels like 60 days. Professionally I have been fortunate to have had a highly fulfilled life, with good times and bad, but with a company that was growing, consolidating and stabilising itself. What strikes me most in my work is the expression of happiness of my patients, when they return for another consultation weighing a few kilos less. It is something that, even if it is repeated a million times, never tires us.

You have been in Portugal for more than 30 years. What led you to believe and place your faith in this country?
Life is made, as an Andalusian poet once said, «Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar» (Walking, there is no path, the path is made by walking), it is made of decisions that later take us to others. The first time I came to Portugal was to see a rally. I visited the interior, I slept in people’s houses, and I ate and slept with them... I saw the country from within. And that’s where I really fell in love with Portugal. It got into my head. So I came here to specialise, to stay just for four years, in the hospital of Santa Maria and to return to Granada, where I am from and from where I had never thought to leave. But I set up a practice and everything started to go well. Then, one year led to the next, I got married and had children here. And even the ones who were born in Spain feel they are from here.
«More than creating diets, we help guide people, so as to change their habits of a lifetime»
In the processes of weight loss, which technique does Clínica Dr. Tallon use?
What we do, primarily, is customise the treatment. One can buy a suit of a certain size and it fits well or we can buy one tailor-made. We try to make it to the measure. Each person is different. More than creating diets, we help guide people, so as to change their habits of a lifetime. The first thing we try to do is understand why the person eats and not so much what they eat. Because if we do not know why, it will not work. And then we tell them that what works is not the diet, but their decision to change their life habits. And then we have a guaranteed result for life.

In your view, how are the Portuguese doing in terms of health?
Better and worse. Medically, they are much better. In terms of living habits, much worse, because no one moves. We are increasingly living sedentary lifestyles, with lack of physical exercise.

And are you careful about what you eat?
A little. I decided a long time ago that there was no need to stop enjoying life, and eating is one of life’s most important pleasures. It’s not about living to eat, just as it’s not about eating to live. You have to find a balance.
Ana Monteiro
T. Ana Monteiro
P. ©PMC
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