Client Success Story: How to Lose 20kgs in Less Than 3 Months

 

What factor do you think has made the biggest contribution to your weight loss?

Accountability!!  I was not in a good place letting myself get to more than 160KG when I first started at Regenesis, I never disclosed my weight to anyone, so it was almost as if I didn’t need to worry about it because I didn’t ‘own it’. Having someone I’m accountable to made all the difference to me when I was getting started.

What other factors are also worth acknowledging?

Well obviously diet and exercise but without the investment and care being shown by Jarrat, (his non-judgemental attitude and the constant positive reinforcement along with the great nutritional advice and excellent and varied workouts) I would not have stuck to it.  Jarrat is really great at judging what my limits are and getting me to push that little bit more so that my abilities increase bit by bit each week. 

Do you have a favourite exercise? What is it and why?

I don’t know that I have a favourite exercise; I dread them all until they are almost done and then all of a sudden I find myself loving whatever it is I am doing.  What I like best is just doing what I am doing, better than the last time I did it.  Having never played competitive sport in my life, to be able to get a PB on anything provides me with a great sense of achievement and helps me to see that I am making improvements in every session and I am my biggest competition! 

If I did have to name one thing it probably would be anything on the treadmill as it allows me to race against myself. 

Do you have a favourite session? What is it and why?

Tabata sessions are my favourite as I always feel like I can push whatever it is out for 20 seconds, it’s only 20 seconds after all (even though it does add up quickly)!  After the recent Guerilla Group Tabata session it was almost therapeutic for me, even though Jarrat did alter exercises to suit my abilities and fitness level, I still felt as though I was able to achieve as much as the other people in the session and I worked out at a level I was really happy with. I am going to also try to make it to more group sessions as it was a great feeling to workout with other people – that was all totally new to me.

What activities/exercises can you now do that you couldn’t do 20kgs ago?

My goodness, where to begin… if we’re talking activities, the first and probably most obvious (and I will even go as far as to say cathartic), is my new found confidence and ability to get up off the floor (which has now also added so many new exercises to my repertoire).  I would generally not sit on the floor as I never wanted to have to drag myself back to my feet – I was almost fearful of anything I had to get on the floor for and it was because my weight was so debilitating. That’s really been a breakthrough for me, especially as I have a three year old and a lot of the play is floor based whether it be playing with racing cars or lying on the rug to do colouring in.

As for exercises that I wasn’t able to do before that I can now – this really is almost anything but most noticeable for me is being able to travel at speed on the treadmill. I think 10.5kms/hr is still my maximum speed (and only for a short time) but it’s a huge improvement considering I hated walking at even 4kms/hr when I first started training. I now also don’t hold on when on the treadmill which was a huge thing for me. 

What is the next thing you want to be able to do?

In a way I’m scared to say as I know Jarrat will make it happen and probably sooner rather than later but … I’d like to be able to do a proper push-up.  I’d also love to be able to run 5kms straight but I think that one is a long way off! I’d basically love to be able to do what any fit and healthy person can do, regardless of my size!

What is your favourite healthy meal?

It’s either rice paper rolls (which I have pretty much every day) or this great salad I make with corn, four bean mix, tomatoes and coriander:

1/2 a lime – juiced, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teas spoon chilli powder, a pinch of salt (I know Jarrat, that’s naughty) mix all of them together to form a dressing and then combine I tin of four bean mix, kernels from 2 cobs of steamed corn, 1 cup grape tomatoes halved, ½ cup sliced shallots and 2 tablespoons fresh coriander – add dressing and eat … it’s delicious!! You can also add rice but I find it get enough from it without the rice.

Is there a meal that you eat that in your opinion gives you the best recovery from a training session? And/or a meal that gives you the most energy before a training session?

My very best recovery meal is generally a piece of grilled salmon with 4-leaf salad mix and a bit of Greek salad on the lettuce mix (just to make it a little more exciting and it seems like a real treat then) however I think the rice paper rolls work pretty well too (especially the chicken). They are nice and light, refreshing and healthy while tasting great! Even though I have them almost every day, they still feel like a treat to me!

Before I workout I like to have a banana. I find it the best for me as it gives me energy without sitting heavily in my stomach – I didn’t quite realise the value in this until I worked out after lunch recently and felt like I had a few hackie sacks bouncing around in my belly the whole time – big mistake!

What are you most proud about losing 20kgs?

It’s hard to admit to feeling proud to my weight loss because in a lot of ways I feel as though I should be ashamed of getting to the weight I did. I am very proud though.

I am simply proud that I have done it (and in a good amount of time)!  The fact that I didn’t keep falling victim to the mindset that it was ‘all too hard’ and that ‘I would never be able to do that’ while I sat at home with a packet of Tim Tams watching The Biggest Loser!

I’m proud of all the physical things I can now do, things that I never thought I would be able to before. I am proud each and every time I push myself until I think I’m exhausted and then I still give a little bit more! I’m proud to walk into the gym and give anything a go, even if I don’t always do a great job of it – I am proud that I at least try now! I am proud that I have the support of people who love me and want to see me succeed. I’m also proud that I have the support of people I’ve never even met (I love when someone tells me “I was talking to my mum about how well you’re doing and she was amazed and said keep up the good work”). I am proud that my story might be a little bit of inspiration for someone else that needs to get started but just can’t take that step.

I am also really pleased that my friends, family, work colleagues and Jarrat tell the story of my achievement so far to others as it helps me see and acknowledge that my efforts are worthy of feeling proud of!

 

What other goals have you set in the future for weight loss, performance, life etc?

Though things don’t always go to plan (hardly ever in my case in fact) I do plan to reach my ‘goal weight’ (I’m just not sure what I intend that to be yet), hopefully by the end of 2014.  My short term goal though is really just to knock the weight off 10kgs at a time so right now I am itching to get out of the 130’s and I really am desperate to get out of triple figures on the scales and then just go from there. 

I’ve signed up to the City2Surf and I want to be able to run/jog it – though it’s unlikely I will be able to make the whole distance even at a jog (especially those hills, eeek) but if I can get to the end in under 2 hours – I will be thrilled.

I also plan to study and retrain as a nutritionist. I want to make the most of my own personal experience and to assist others to see that they can change and make a real difference to their lives simply from eating well and being more active and that it really isn’t that difficult. I feel passionate about this now. 

I also plan to have another child in 2015 but I have agreed to do my best to get to my goal weight first to ensure I will be as healthy as possible!

What have you learnt about your body and how it works?

I’ve learnt that there really is a simple answer to weight loss for me (and I’m sure almost everyone else)! Less calories in and more calories out = weight loss (even if it takes a few days to show on the scales sometimes)!

I now know that my body is capable of so much more than I thought. I AM able to do things, and even if I can’t do them immediately, there is no harm in trying.

I am also coming to believe that there is no such thing as a plateau when it comes to weight loss (certainly not when you have a substantial amount to lose) and that a plateau generally occurs from complacency with food or increase in fitness without adjusting other factors such as workout intensity or calories consumed.

I have had weight issues my whole life (I was 60kg at the age of 8 and 116kg at the age of 16) so after a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and “trying everything” (including prescribed medications) I really do now concede that the ONLY real way to ensure weight loss is through sensible (and balanced) eating and a healthy level of activity.

I had all the knowledge to lose weight previously; I just didn’t put it into action for any length of time which I think is the case for so many people. With Jarrat’s support, encouragement and dedication though, I’ve been able to really make some changes to my life that my whole family is benefiting from.

I really look forward to every training session I have with Jarrat. There’s so much variety that I never know what’s coming and this is great (it means I never have a chance to dread what’s coming up). At times I walk into the gym saying I’m unmotivated and lazy but each and every time, Jarrat makes sure I walk out with my head held high and feeling great about what I’ve achieved. I’ve worked with a lot of personal trainers in my life (I have quite a number of them in my family) but no one has been able to inspire the level of commitment and interest in my health that Jarrat has been able to achieve. He’s a great trainer as he makes it feel as though we’re working towards my goal as a team and I’m not alone on my journey!  

Thanks Bianca, you certainly do deserve to be proud of your results and I love sharing your story with everyone as it is truly inspiring. Now for the next 10kgs!!