Real life weight loss: how I lost 36kg

Natasha before and after her 36kg weight loss

As a “chubby child”, Natasha always assumed her puppy fat would just melt away when she reached her teens, but it didn’t.

When she was at uni, late nights, alcohol and convenience meals meant more weight piled on, and Natasha went from a size 14 to 18.

“In my final year, I joined a gym and started making salads in an attempt to lose weight,” she recalls. “In reality, going to Zumba twice a month and eating lettuce with a chicken Kiev was never going to work.”

When Natasha graduated in August 2012, she was 98kg.

The lifestyle

“That year, I lost my granddad – he was still quite young. I was at an emotional low and knew I had to take control of my health,” explains Natasha.

She overhauled her diet, ditching processed foods for more natural ingredients. This wasn’t just a phase, it was about future-proofing her health.

“Swapping my morning muffin for a handful of almonds wasn’t so hard, and I actually preferred pumpkin seeds and chicken with salad to the creamy dressings and deli meats I’d been eating before.”

Natasha hit the gym five times a week, to swim and do Body Combat classes, which also proved a good way to beat stress.

The reward

For the last six months, Natasha’s weight has hovered at 62kg and she proudly wears a size 8. “I’ve reached my body’s healthy weight,” she says.

“It’s a lifestyle rather than a diet. So if I feel like chocolate, I’ll have some with a minimum of 70 per cent cocoa. I still visit the gym five times a week, but I go because I want to and I enjoy it. It’s a way of life for me now.”

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