Separation leads to big lifestyle changes for Trish
Trish attributes at least some of her weight loss success in losing 20 kg* to the fact that she split with her husband. The split made her determined to reach her goal weight.
*In 7 months. Individual results may vary.
Losing weight meant a complete lifestyle change for Trish. Where she used to be a bit of a couch potato, indulging in too many snacks and glasses of wine each night, she now has a buzzing social life.
"I very rarely turn my TV on anymore. I’m either at the gym, keeping busy at home or I’m out on the weekends dancing the night away. I have a very active social life now so I’m always on the go," she says.
Separating from her husband
The separation from her husband was part of the motivation to lose weight. She realised she had to move on and meet new people – and the weight loss gave her the confidence she needed to do so.
"I know this might sound strange but us splitting up was what actually made me more determined to reach my goal. I refused to let myself dwell on what I couldn’t change, so instead I focused on my weight loss."
There was nothing unusually unhealthy about Trish’s lifestyle before she decided to lose the weight. Sure, she spent too many nights snacking in front of the TV, but who doesn’t? The problem was more that she wasn’t feeling right.
"I felt so frumpy and hated having to find something nice to wear out. I felt like everything looked awful on me. I was very self conscious about my weight and how I looked," she says.
The final push
The final straw came after a cruise to Hong Kong. Before the trip, after a routine medical check, her GP told her that her cholesterol levels were poor and she would have to start taking medications if she didn’t change her lifestyle.
She knew she had to do something but struggled to find the motivation. It came when she saw the photos from the Hong Kong trip – she was horrified at seeing her size.
Trish decided to join the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet weight loss program. She had tried the books before but she didn't stick with them for very long. The online program turned out to be a perfect match.
"I love the way the diet is broken down into food groups and the number that is recommended of each group for the day. It is much easier to keep track of your allowance this way even when eating things that are not on the actual eating plan," she says.
She is still using the food group system to watch what she eats, even after hitting her goal weight of 53 kg and healthy BMI. Or, she is strict with the food units during the week, so she can relax a bit and enjoy herself on the weekends. She loves the fact that with the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet system, she can save up some of her daily indulgences to have some fun on the weekends.
She's started exercising regularly too and she feels like she is fully motivated to stick to her new lifestyle and keep her weight at a healthy level.
"I catch a train to work each day and the walk from the station is 15 minutes each way. I try to get to the gym a few times a week," she says.
"I won’t ever let myself slip back into my old habits again. Nor will I follow someone else’s lead of being a couch potato and snacking in front of the TV every night."
Trish's top tips for losing weight
- You don't need to deprive yourself – you just need to eat in moderation.
- Don't think of it as a diet but as a change in lifestyle.
- Find a favourite outfit in your wardrobe that doesn’t fit anymore and aim to get into it.
- Break down your goals into weekly targets. I aimed for 1 kg per week. I found by breaking it down into smaller targets kept me motivated and didn’t make it seem like such a huge target.
- Having a slow cooker was a godsend. I would often cook the next night’s dinner in it overnight so that it could just be heated up for dinner the next night.
Read more CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet success stories.
