Brisbane-based Anne Townsley has always been active – running to work, meeting the needs of her family and running for fun in marathons. However, having children and consuming a high number of calories a day meant that Anne wasn’t the weight she wanted to be.
It was through joining The Biggest Loser Club Corporate Challenge with her sister Narelle that Anne was able to see where she was going wrong with her diet and get back to her pre-baby weight of 25 years ago.
The sisters' Corporate Challenge was so successful that they won a workout session with the Commando.
Click to enlarge photos
Anne before
Anne after
Working out
Master class
Sisterly support
Signing up to succeed
Despite wanting to lose a few kilos herself, it was Anne’s sister that saw the Corporate Challenge and was keen for them both to join.
Anne says, “My sister Narelle heard about The Biggest Loser Club Corporate Challenge and asked me if I wanted to get involved. Both of us are really active, but she had to have surgery on her ankle recently and so was unable to exercise, putting on a lot of weight as a result.”
Narelle was having trouble shifting the extra weight so Anne decided to join the Corporate Challenge to support her sister. “I thought of it as a bit like a ‘buddy system.’ We could support each other, even though we don’t work together and we don’t even live in the same state.”
Before Anne started the Corporate Challenge she weighed in at 69kg and only intended to lose about three to four kilos. However, just over a week into the 12-week challenge Anne had already reached her goal weight, but she continued to work hard to shed even more kilos.
By throwing herself into the Challenge Anne lost a fantastic 11kg, plus 11cm from her waist, 9.5cm from her hips and 9.5cm from her thighs; that’s a total loss over 30cm!
How did Anne do it?
It was through the fantastic online features of The Club that Anne was able to see where she was going wrong with her calories and also get some fresh ideas for healthy, tasty meals.
“I loved the recipes,” says Anne. “My favourites were the spinach, mushroom and pine nut baked risotto, pumpkin risotto and the grilled eye fillet with mustard polenta,” says Anne.
However, Anne reveals it was logging her food and exercise everyday that really helped her understand. “It was the online diary that I found invaluable. Using it made me realise just how I had put on the kilos in the first place, despite being so active. For example, I used to run for three hours at a time, but before setting off I would have a mineral-based drink that added up to 400 calories, then I would refuel with liquid carbohydrates in the form of sports drinks while I was running. I was amazed to find that this almost took me to my daily calorie allowance!
“I now limit the drinks by having a glass instead of a whole bottle. Plus, I switched to instant coffee instead of a calorie-fuelled cappuccino on my way to work. It was using the diary regularly that opened my eyes to exactly where those calories were coming from and therefore what to cut back on.”
Sisterly support
As well as the diary, Anne found another form of support with her weight-loss partner Narelle. Anne says, “Narelle and I would swap recipes and stories and ask each other about training tips. We tried to get together every so often and it was great to be on the same journey together.”
Now at her ideal weight, Anne is loving her healthier lifestyle. “I am using what I have learnt to stay within the right weight for me. I also now have a heart rate monitor so I know how many calories I have burnt when I run.”
Anne’s top tips
Encouraging people to join The Biggest Loser Club and start their own Corporate Challenge, Anne reveals her three do’s and don’ts to help you on your way.
- “Do use the online diary. It all starts with writing down what you eat and how you burn the calories, so be honest!”
- “Do some form of exercise every day, whatever you can manage.”
- “Don’t be put off by other people. Friends and family can encourage you to overeat and drink, but you have to stand your ground. You can still enjoy that bit of cheesecake though – just make the portion a bit smaller, type it into your diary and make up for it later!”