Recently I received a comment over on my Facebook page. From Michelle. She told me..
“If I had never found your page I would have given up long ago. You taught me that I don’t have to be “perfect” and drink kale smoothies to lose weight and be healthy. I can have balance.
I have maintained a 35 kg weight loss since last August using your philosophy, Thank you for your posts every day. I do read them ?
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Oh, that touched my heart so much. Michelle’s comment was exactly the reason why I started my Facebook page.
I reached out to Michelle and she agreed to be interviewed about her weight loss success. I hope that it educates and inspires others. (Pretty sure it will).
**Remember, Michelle has never purchased or paid for any of my programs (or anyone else’s). The results she achieved were all due to the free information I provide on my Facebook page , plus her own common sense and can do attitude.
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My questions will be in RED, including any comments that I might include into Michelle’s answers.
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Chriss – How did you look and feel before your weight loss journey?
Michelle –
Before weight loss I always felt tired with no energy. I never had the energy to play with my children which is something I can’t take back now and regret but I look forward to making it up to them.
I was 101.5kgs and 39 years old, I had always had trouble with my weight. I was overweight since age 4.
I stopped eating lunch and breakfast when I started high school about aged 13. I used to not eat all day then have a huge dinner and then what ever was left on the kids plate I didn’t like to waste, then I will eat chips chocolates cakes biscuits all night, I actually never drank water I used to drink 30 cans of coke zero a week and 12 cups of coffee a day. I would go to work then come home have a nap cook dinner watch TV and eat then go to bed.
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Chriss – Had you tried to lose weight previously?
Michelle –
Not really.
I loved to cook and I loved to eat. I sometimes thought I should start tomorrow but never did it all seemed to hard. I did try meal replacement shakes for a short while when I first started my weight loss journey.
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Chriss – What prompted your decision to change?
Michelle –
My 13yr old daughter loved to sew. Her creations even made it to fashion parades. She made me a top (see photo). I was so proud of her. I posted a pic on Facebook with me wearing the top she had made for me.
I never ever posted photos of myself in fact there are not a lot of photos of me around anywhere. Photos are the one thing I avoided. Everybody started liking it. I couldn’t help but look and think I put her top to shame how could anyone like that photo.
That day I made a promise to my daughter that the next thing she made for me I would make it look great.
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C – What did you do to lose weight and improve your health and fitness?
Michelle –
First thing I did was post that same photo to Facebook and told everyone this was the last time they will see me at 101.5 kgs again. I posted my weight and took my weight loss journey to Facebook I made myself accountable and every week I weighed in and posted my current weight and my weight loss someone had to be watching.
I threw the coke zero away and replaced it with water and cut my coffees back to just 3 in the mornings.
I went to chemist and brought meal replacements and started walking every night with my family. Even though I was losing weight I knew once I stopped, the weight would go straight back on if I didn’t permanently change my eating habits. And really what was this teaching my kids who were heading down the path I was.
That’s when I started searching Facebook for pages that could help me. There were so many low carb, high fat, high protein but not much in the way of fruit and vegetables. There were pages saying “drink this drink and it will melt the fat away”.
After a few months I felt like giving up. I was craving my old foods. Daylight savings was ending and we could no longer go walking of a night.
I was about ready to give up when I found your page. Here was a lady telling me I didn’t have to drink kale smoothies, she was telling me to keep it real with helpful advice like this…
“You do not have to give up a food group. Moderation and appropriate portion sizes will work”
oh and this:
“One handful of protein rich food One handful of carb rich food Lots of salad / veg,
Eat when fairly hungry, stop when satisfied. Don’t make things harder than they need to be”
**Note from Chriss – – I talk about these principles in this post – 8 simple changes to transform your health and body (click to read)
Every day I couldn’t wait to read your posts with helpful advice.
I found an exercise I liked, one I look forward to doing and had fun doing it with the family.
Now we eat lots more vegetables, fruit and the right portions of carbs and proteins. We still have take away treats now and then but instead of eating a whole pizza like I used to I have a slice or two with a big salad,. Fish and chips = grilled fish and big salad and we always start our day with a good breakfast wholegrain toast avocado bacon and a poached egg.
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C – How do you look and feel now?
Michelle –
I now weigh in at 66.5 kgs.
So a 35 kg weight loss and have kept it in a 2kg radius for the last 9 months between 65 kgs-67kgs.
I feel like a new person full of energy, never too tired to do stuff with my family and a lot more confident and happy. I feel like I‘m a better partner to my partner of 19 years and a much better Mum and role model to my kids 12 & 15.
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C – What advice would you give to others looking to lose weight?
Michelle –
Just do it do it for yourself. Don’t over complicate things and listen to Chriss, she knows what she’s talking about.
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Chriss – Wow, what an inspirational story. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing Michelle.
I truly hope that this helps inspire and educate anyone out there who might resonate with Michelle. You don’t need to give up carbs, sugar or fun in order to be healthier and lose weight.
You don’t need an extreme exercise program. Simply find a way of moving your body that you enjoy and do that regularly.
If you have used the same principles that Michelle did and you had success doing so, I would love to hear from you.
If you would like some hand holding, step by step instructions and coaching along the way, I can provide that with my habit change coaching program.
Chriss
Related
- 2 steps to weight loss success. A case study
- My favourite weight loss resources
- Coaching with Chriss. Ditch the diets and change your habits instead
- 10 things you DON’T need to do in order to lose weight
- What’s the best exercise for weight loss?