A much-too-small pair of jeans plus Australia’s first ever female winner of The Biggest Loser inspired Amanda Waite to shed more than 12kg. Now, just like her idol Lisa Hose, Amanda feels fit and fantastic, and she looks glam in her skinny jeans too!
Since relocating to Australia with her partner Adam, 32-year-old Amanda Waite has been an avid fan of The Biggest Loser. “It was one of the first TV shows I saw in Australia and I hadn’t seen anything like it on UK TV,” said the Sydney-based financial controller.
The latest season was the most inspiring for Amanda, who said it was fantastic to see mum-of-two Lisa Hose take home the title. Inspiration also came in a pair of jeans... with a 27-inch waist.
“It was obvious that they didn’t fit when I tried to put them on. In fact, they wouldn’t even go past my legs,” she said.
The Biggest Loser Club was the most logical place for Amanda to look for weight loss advice, so she logged on and decided to give it a go.
Winning over the sceptics
“Adam was supportive but a bit sceptical at first,” Amanda said. “He’s one of those people who can eat anything and everything without gaining any weight at all. Plus, he had seen me try and fail with a whole host of weight loss diets in the past, from Weight Watchers to Slimming World back in the UK, and more.”
But this time Amanda was determined. She already knew that her habit of skipping breakfast had to go. Not being a fan of soggy breakfast cereals, she searched for some fast and tasty brekkies and found them in her Club plan.
Click to enlarge photos
Amanda before
Amanda before
Amanda after
Amanda after
The right headspace
“I had been looking for a healthier way of eating that I could live with for the long-term. Being in the right headspace to make the changes I needed, combined with the flexibility of the diary and the plan, made it relatively easy,” Amanda said.
Experimenting with the diary, she quickly saw that she could enjoy the odd glass of wine and her favourite foods and stay on track. “There were lots of takeaway foods in the diary or I would use the nutrition information on packs and type it in if I needed to. All the while, I could stay on track and within my calorie allowance.”
No to naan
However, Amanda soon discovered one small downside to using The Club diary. “I love Indian food and I had no idea about the huge number of calories in naan bread,” she said. “I can tell you that I am never going to eat one again!”
Along with eating more regularly Amanda began exercising, first by walking during her lunch break and then by training for running events. Soon, the results began to show.
“Using the jeans as my guide, I could feel that The Club plan was working. Soon, I could put the jeans on even though I couldn’t do them up. Later, I could just about do up the zip. Then, I could do up the zip and breathe as well. It was a great gauge of how things were changing,” she said.
But it wasn’t always plain sailing. “Slip-ups happen,” she said, “but you just have to put them behind you and get right back on the plan”.
Strength in the forums
Amanda found great strength and encouragement from the forums and she urged all Club members to do the same. “Just take a look. You don’t have to post anything but what you read is really positive, practical and inspiring,” she said.
Amanda’s weight loss success has been a personal revelation for her. “I realise now that I have a lot more willpower than I realised. Okay, some people may call it stubbornness but I know that I have the determination to get to where I want to be and stay there,” she said. Starting her weight loss journey at 63.5kg, Amanda lost 12.1kg and now weighs 51.4kg.
Maintenance mode
Amanda is successfully maintaining her weight to within one or two kilos and those jeans remain a fantastic guide. “I must say that it is all much easier in maintenance land. I just make sure that I keep my diet balanced, I don’t overdo the calories and I’m determined not go back to old habits, which I know is easy to do.”
Amanda enjoys wearing her slim-fit jeans but she has also added to her wardrobe. Now she loves to wear a range of different clothing styles, including the occasional dress. “Clothes don’t have to be ankle length and all-covering now. I have even been known to wear a skirt or a dress on occasion – I would never have got my legs out before,” she said.