Ask her what she thinks is the best thing about losing weight and finding fitness and she’ll probably say that it is having more energy for her never-stay-still 14-month-old son, Max. But, coming a close second for Kristy Powels would have to be the fact that for the first time, she now weighs less than her husband!
Kristy’s challenges with weight have been life-long. She says, “I am just one of those people that has to be strict with my eating. It feels like I only need to look at food and I put on weight.”
Being a generally confident person, Kristy’s excess kilos did not stop her from enjoying her job as a catering manager/chef. Kristy met her husband, Mark, when he was backpacking in Australia and she followed him back to the UK where they stayed for seven years. During that time, Kristy lost weight twice with Slimming World, a group-based weight-loss system. She says, “It worked while I went along to the meetings, but then the weight crept back on again when I stopped going. The way of eating was based on eating different foods on different days and I found it hard to decide between ‘protein’ or ‘carbohydrate’ days."
It was upon her return to Australia that she knew she wanted to lose the excess kilos for good. She says, “Initially, I wanted to lose around 10kg. Then, I became pregnant and in the course of the pregnancy, I put on 20kg. When our son, Max was born, I lost 10kg pretty quickly. Then, when Max was around three months of age, we went for a month-long visit to England and I put on 4kg (I put that down to my father-in-law’s cooking!)”
Being a pretty active sort of person, Kristy knew that she needed a push when it came to regular exercise. With Max growing from baby to toddler at alarming speed, Kristy was kept busy. But, without any family close by to call upon, she found it difficult to find time for herself.
Click to enlarge photos
Kristy before
Kristy after
How she did it
Kristy's weight-loss journey started in March 2008. She says, “I got myself a casual job delivering catalogues during March and that involved walking for two to three hours twice a week; I lost 4kg within the first two weeks and the weight has stayed off. Around this time, too, I was watching Series 3 of The Biggest Loser and really enjoying ‘living’ with the contestants’ challenges; I particularly liked to see their triumphs.
"But it was a picture of me taken at a friend’s birthday party in April that made me realise things had to change – immediately! I watched the 2008 Biggest Loser Finale and decided to join The Biggest Loser Club; I knew for my son and more importantly, for myself, that I had to lose my post-baby weight plus the extra 10kg.
"So in May 2008, I started using The Club website and I have not looked back! As a trained chef, I knew what I needed to do to lose weight food-wise and what had to be done for me to be fitter and happier. But I really am the sort of person who needs to feel motivated and supported.
“I looked at the website and liked the idea of being able to modify the program to suit my lifestyle and be able to fit my needs in with the available time I had."
Kristy has lost an impressive 19kg, going from 101kg to 82kg. And she puts her success down to a mix of organisation with a dash of flexibility. “The menu plans are the best part – not having to think about what to cook once my son is asleep is the easiest choice for me. I love being able to shop once a week and have all meals decided for the week ahead for me. The diary helps me keep track of my calorie intake and I know that if I have gone over one day; I need to keep it lower for the next day or so, to balance things up. Being able to chart the weight loss each week is great for me, too; a huge motivational tool.
“I found the program really easy. Cooking comes easy to me – I don’t have to think about it really. I have a number of favourite Club recipes and keep these in a scrapbook, although some of them I now know off by heart! Particular favourites include the pumpkin, bacon and spinach feta salad. And my husband, Mark, loves the chicken risotto. The lamb shank with red onion and Moroccan chicken are other favourites. Mark has lost a little weight, too, and generally speaking, we are buying healthier foods."
How life has changed
"My confidence has always been OK," says Kristy, "but now I do feel extra confident; I know I look good! I can fit into clothes that I had before I got married and I actually weigh less than I did before I got pregnant – what a boost! The compliments from friends are also fantastic."
Kristy’s new found get-up-and-go is an added bonus for toddler, Max. She says, “I’m much more active and have lots more energy to play with my son now. I get on the floor with him and we rough and tumble and he loves it!"
Kristy and husband Mark are trying for another baby and she has no worries, at least as far a weight gain is concerned. She says, “I know that I’ll keep to my healthier way of life and don’t have any worry about whether I will be able to lose the weight afterwards. I’ll definitely rejoin The Biggest Loser Club after baby number two is born – except it will be much earlier next time round. I just know that the weight will fall off. It has been so easy!”
Kristy's tips for you
If you are destined for the success that Kristy has seen, she advises you to:
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Get organised and plan ahead – don’t allow yourself to have no good food choices in your fridge.
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Complete your diary daily – it helps you to stay motivated. The daily input allows you to memorise your favourite foods and their calories so you can make quick, healthy choices when you are out.
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Stay focused and keep up the good work – only you can do it! Congratulate yourself when you lose and be strong if you don’t. You’ve made a choice to change your life – well done!”