Prosciutto, camembert, mozzarella, croissant, fresh pasta and French bread ... European travel is a voyage for the tastebuds. So it’s no wonder Janelle Witschi piled on the kilos after eight years in the gourmet continent.
“I love savoury foods. Cheese and pasta are my particular favourites and there are some great ones to try in Europe,” said Janelle. “But that’s not to say I didn’t overindulge in chocolate too.”
When she returned to Australia, she weighed 90.1kg – pretty substantial for her petite 159cm frame – and her body was making her miserable.
Janelle, who is in her mid-40s, started watching what she ate and dropped to 77.5kg under her own steam. But she lost momentum and found it hard to get into exercise.
“It was a catch 22 situation” she said. “Being so heavy I was always tired, my lower back hurt and I just felt horrible all the time. I really didn’t feel like exercising.”
Finding a diet that works
Having struggled with her weight for a long time, Janelle had tried all sorts of diets, including Weight Watchers (three times), Jenny Craig, Rosemary Conley’s Hip and Thigh Diet and the Spinach and Egg Diet – although she only lasted two days on that one.
Back in Orange, New South Wales, Janelle forced herself to start going to her local gym. There she got talking to a fellow gym-goer who suggested she gave The Biggest Loser Club Meal Replacements a try. The fresh food fan decided to give try the Shakes to kick-start her weight loss.
Janelle logged onto The Biggest Loser Club site via her week-long free access. “I really liked what I saw and so I decided to sign up for three months. When that expired, I joined for a full year,” she said.
Click to enlarge photos
Janelle before
Janelle after
Janelle after
Janelle after
A new attitude to food
Janelle used the Meal Replacements when she was short on time opting for a Shake for breakfast on busy mornings and the occasional Snack Bar. Mostly, though, Janelle decided to go back to basics with fresh foods with five vegies and two fruits daily, low-fat dairy and naturally sweet foods.
“I loved the diary and used to put absolutely everything into it. I made up a lot of combos which helped save time too,” she said.
“I also really liked the nutritional report, which helped reassure me that I was making the best choices for my health.”
Typically, breakfast for Janelle became Weetbix with fruit, honey and skim milk. Lunch might be either a Mountain Wrap or two slices of multigrain bread with lite cream cheese and shaved roast beef, ham and mustard or chicken and tomatoes. Her main meal might be beef stir-fried with honey and soy or a steak with vegies and sweet potato.
The hardest part
“At first, the hardest part for me was turning down a few invitations to eat out,” Janelle said. “I wasn’t completely confident about restaurant choices and I didn’t want to be a weight loss bore and order grilled chicken and vegetables all the time.”
As time went on, she became more confident about making better choices and she also found that she wouldn’t eat as much as before.
“I suppose I just became more aware of diet and nutrition and my body. If I was really hungry and I was due to go out to eat, I would grab a banana to take the edge off my appetite,” said Janelle.
Ready for success
Janelle also cites preparation as an essential component to her dramatic transformation. “I began to make the time to select and prepare foods in bulk, divide them into portions and freeze them so I always had something quick, easy and healthy to eat when I was working late – such as the bolognaise recipe.
“It’s really no more hassle to prepare one serve as it is to make up a batch of eight serves. Over time it all became so much easier because it became a habit.”
The easiest part
Exercise also became increasingly easy and more fun. “The fitter and healthier I felt, the more I felt I could do,” she said.
Unlike many of us who look for a quick fix diet, Janelle's slow and steady progress gave her the knowledge and skills to stick with her healthy lifestyle for good.
Over one year and three months, she lost an average of 0.3kg each week to drop from 77.5kg to just under her goal weight of 58kg.
Over time, people noticed the fabulous improvements Janelle was making to her health which helped her to secure a part-time role as a circuit trainer at her local gym.
“Some of the people who I train at the gym say it’s all very well for me to advise about weight loss – what would I know? It feels great to say that I know very well, that I have first-hand experience.”
From unhappy and lethargic to svelte and energised, Janelle is delighted and proud of the changes she’s made. She also has masses more energy. “In fact, I feel so positive and energetic that my new nickname is The Energiser Bunny!”