2002 I turned 30; I was unhappy, overweight, a smoker and just knew this wasn’t right for me to be this way. From puberty onwards I always struggled with my weight, yo yo diets, fads, you name it I tried it. My self esteem and confidence was nonexistent.
After the birth of my son in 1999 I was very big, I had gained about 25kg through the pregnancy. Never once did I get on the scales (except when the doctor weighed me when pregnant). I started to eat very little to try and lose weight and yes it worked for a while. I lost about 20kg. (A guess estimate, going by dress sizes, still no scales). But it all began piling back on and then some.
My family and I moved to QLD in 2001, I promised my husband I would give up the cigarettes. On my 30th birthday I had my last cigarette and then began my challenge. I thought to myself this is it; you need to do this for your family and most importantly for yourself. My mum died young from a rare cancer and I wasn’t about to put my family through that. I faced the scales and jumped on, to find it reading 103kg. I am 5ft 2inchs tall. The words obese ran through my head. I felt dreadful, a failure and i could of quite easily just put it all in the too hard basket.
My husband had started to do some walking, just around our house, so I started to do the same. I dived into as many books and internet searches I could do, reading up on nutrition and fitness. I stayed away from all the fads, shakes and pills and realised it all came down to moving and the right foods. As I started to lose weight I remember feeling my confidence was building, so I joined a ladies gym at 90kg. They gave me a program and skills to improve on myself. Slowly I began to find confidence I had never ever felt before and like I was in control of my own life. Everything started to change in my world. I entered my first fun run and finished in a pretty good time. Walking, jogging and going to the gym became a part of my everyday life. I began to experiment with all sorts of good foods and decided to follow the low GI concept. Understanding foods and how they work and nourish the body became a complete passion. In 2005 I fell pregnant with my second child. I must admit I was scared thinking how I will keep the weight off this time. My daughter was born later that year and I only gained 6kg through the whole pregnancy. I walked everyday and ate well, not for 2!
Now 6 years on, the change in me is massive, people from my past don’t recognise me as the same person! When I look back on photos I don’t even recognise myself! I am stronger, leaner, happier and much, much healthier. I have been 65kg for about 5years now and yes I am still working on improving my body, building more lean muscle. I go to the gym 5 days a week and my training consists of spin classes, body combat, Pilates and weights. I also enjoy the challenge of Boot camp and getting out on the weekends and trying something new!
That's me 3rd from the right with the blue Nike cap on.
The key to success is to set small goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Read, read and read....knowledge is power. Build your confidence by stepping outside the box and trying something different. There is no failure! Give everything a go! Make sure there are supportive people all around you. And the biggest one of all, if you “fall off the wagon” that’s not the end, it’s not over, just acknowledge it, and keep moving forward. Never ever look back and never ever give up.
My mantra for my life is this:
Your focus needs to be on your goals and desires, not your fears and worries.
Have faith in your inner vision, stay true to your mission.
Rachelle
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