“When I was at my heaviest, I weighed 38.3st”: Mum reveals her best weight loss tips after losing over 11 stone
From 38.3st to 26.10st, this Healthy Mummy and 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge member has come a long way in her weight loss journey.
From undergoing Lap band surgery in 2010, gaining back some weight, Stephanie has come out the other side stronger and more determined than ever.
7 months on from Then Healthy Mummy and she now weighs, 169.6kg, losing 26.9kg and a total of 111cm!
Here we’ve asked Stephanie every question we know other mums will want to know! From how much water she drinks, her go-to exercises and how she stays so positive.
How this mum lost more than 11 stone
1. What are your best weight loss/health tips?
– Water, water is your friend! We all know the benefits (from flushing out toxins, improving complexion, etc.) but it only works when we drink it! If you need a reminder to do it, downloading an app to remind you when you need to drink can be helpful – carry it with you everywhere.
– Exercise is your friend and it doesn’t have to be boring. Find something that you LOVE doing and do it. I love boxing, swimming, dancing, walking and jogging and I’ve also made it my goal this month to have a go of a few more group exercise classes at my gym. I found Zumba last night and I’m in love! Aim to do something for at least half an hour a day and always have a rest day to allow your body some time to allow everything to recover and rebuild.
– Set goals! Write down a plan and have it somewhere you can see it as it will help keep you focused and on track. Make sure your goals are achievable as there’s no point in saying you’ll exercise for an hour a day if you know you only really have half an hour. Make them something you can reach!
– My goals this month are to drink 2 litres of water a day, do a minimum of half an hour of exercise per day for 6 days of the week, participate in at least 2 Parkrun events and work on getting a PB for each one, get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night, try at least 2 new group exercise classes at the gym, reach my step goal for at least 5 days of the week and record my food in my food diary daily. I’m being realistic and working on something I know I can achieve but is also a challenge!
2. What is something you NOW KNOW that you WISH you knew at the beginning of your weight loss journey?
That if I stop listening to the voice inside my head that tells me I can’t do things, I’ll get a lot further than if I focus on the voice that reminds me I can. Even though I’ve done an amazing job over the last 7 months, I have spent a lot of it thinking ‘I can’t’ rather than ‘I can’. I’ve changed my mindset in the last few weeks and incredible things are happening.
3. Best advice you would give to other mums about weight loss and health?
Don’t compare yourself to anyone else EXCEPT yourself. Take photos of yourself to look at later on down the track, make videos, take measurements, do anything you can to ensure you have something to look back on and feel proud.
My other piece of advice is start today! Don’t wait until tomorrow, next Monday, the start of the next 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge – you can start right now. Even if it means you have a few more glasses of water today than what you did yesterday or if you go for a short walk around the block. Think of something you can do right now to better your health and do it. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
4. What are 5 things you want to share with other mums about you and your journey?
– When I was at my heaviest, I weighed 38.3st. This was in 2010 and I couldn’t do up my own shoe laces, I didn’t fit in my shower, I had an exemption from wearing a seat belt as it didn’t fit. I owned 3 tops that I used to recycle on a daily basis and one pair of pants that I would wash nightly. I didn’t feel human.
– In 2011 when I was 26.10st, I climbed the 46 floors of the office building I worked in to raise money for cancer research. I trained for a few months to be able to do it. It was one of the highlights of my life. Each time I see that building in the city skyline, I remind myself of the fact that I can do anything I put my mind to.
– I’ve been overweight for the majority of my life. I’ve stopped and started diets so many times. At times I think that it’s like anything you want to change like smoking for example, the more times you try to quit, the easier it gets. It’s the same with weight loss. The more times you fall off the wagon, you learn something new about staying on.
– I have a very long list of things I can’t wait to do along the road of my weight loss journey. One of them is very simple – I can’t wait to wear short denim shorts! This is where my squats will come in handy.
– I absolutely LOVE sharing my journey with others. I hear from so many women who I’ve inspired. It’s so humbling. I often forget that they are writing about me. This is why I share my journey – to help others know this CAN be done. If I’m doing it, you can as well. 
5. The hardest obstacle you have faced?
The hardest obstacle I have faced in relation to my weight loss was when I had lap band surgery and I ended up having complications. There is no doubt that weight loss surgery saved my life and although I knew of the complications that would go along with it, I didn’t think I’d have so many. The complications I have had are to do with my port as it has detached twice and I require another round of surgery to have it repaired.
This can happen and although I knew that lap band wasn’t a magic wand, I did hope that for my sake my journey would be a lot easier. I got down to 25.13st twelve months after I had my band which is when I had to have surgery but got back up to 33.st 2 years later.
It was hard spending all that money, going through all that pain and turmoil to end up not having the results I had expected but in saying that, it’s been empowering to be at a point in my life where I KNOW I can do it myself as I AM!
A surgeon can alter your stomach so you can’t eat as much food but they can’t fix your head. Once you work out what is going on up there, you are well on your way to a better you. Whilst I am in support of weight loss surgery, I always encourage anyone considering going under the knife to try something else – anything else to make sure they have done all they can to lose the weight themselves first as regardless of what method of surgery you choose, none are guaranteed to keep the weight off forever and all come with their own sets of complications and challenges.
6. The greatest intrinsic reward you have encountered since beginning your journey?
Finding joy in new things. Discovering a whole new world of things that I am yet to explore because my weight and mindset has held me back, but not anymore.
7. What are your health and fitness goals for the next 6 months?
To continue doing exactly what I’m doing! Eating well from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, exercising and surrounding myself with people who also share my vision to a healthier and happier them. I also plan on competing in a fun run in November.
Now that my new lifestyle has become a habit as opposed to one that I am still fine tuning, I imagine the next 6 months are going to be full of fun and proud moments. Oh, and to nail the burpees!
