Constant quips from pub punters asking Jason Lukritz when his baby was due spurred him into weight-loss action. Now, not only has he lost his ‘baby belly’ but he’s maintained his fit figure for months. He’s full of energy and he’s working towards getting the six-pack he’s always wanted – and we’re not talking the beer variety.
Weighing in at 113kg, Queenslander Jason was tired of being out of breath and low in energy. He wasn't sleeping well and was sick of the sight of his large belly. What's more, the duty manager at a Queensland tavern didn’t see the joke when the local drinkers rubbed his tummy and asked him when his baby was due.
Although he had never tried to lose weight before, Jason was a big fan of The Biggest Loser. He knew that the contestants used The Biggest Loser Club so he logged on, liked what he saw and joined up for a full year.
Finding focus
Right from the start, Jason was focussed on the task at hand. He cleared his fridge and pantry of all unsuitable snack foods. “For me, it was easy because I started by using The Biggest Loser Club Meal Replacement Shakes for breakfast and lunch with a combination of some fresh fruits. Sometimes, I would snack on The Club Biggest Loser Club Snack Bars, too,” Jason said.
For dinner, Jason would cook the recipes from his menu plan. If he didn’t have time to follow a recipe, he would keep it simple with a palm-sized piece of grilled lean meat or chicken and lots of fresh vegetables. And, when he read about how many calories alcohol contains, Jason decided to cut down on that too.
Looking at weight-loss as a long term plan, Jason broke up his ultimate goal into small bite-sized pieces, which worked well for him. “When you blitz your goals, it really spurs you on to set more and more. But If you set your goals too high, you’ll only end up upset or disappointed and it could put a stop to your journey altogether,” Jason explained.
Charts and graphs
Being a pretty analytical type of person, Jason loved charting his progress. “I loved using the charts and taking body measurements. Seeing the fat blobs disappearing from my body inspired me.”
Taking The Club’s advice, he added exercise into his daily life. He joined a gym, signed up for a 12-week fitness challenge and hired a personal trainer. “It can be hard to push yourself in the gym," Jason said, “but if you do it regularly, you will learn to enjoy it. Exercise makes you feel great and you’ll want to do more and more.”
Jason’s weight-loss progress was immediate and, as time went on, he was encouraged by positive comments from friends and family, “People would say ‘wow, you’re looking good!’ and ‘Gee you’ve lost a lot of weight’ This gave me the biggest head spin!”
Click to enlarge photos
Jason before
Jason before
Jason after
Jason after
Jason after
Massive success
Jason started his Biggest Loser Club journey at a weight of 113.3kg and he shed a massive 27kg to reach his current weight of 86.3kg. He has replaced his XXL sized trousers with a trim and slender size 32.
Apart from feeling much more comfortable in his clothes, Jason said he is no longer embarrassed about the way he looks. "I can finally have a good night’s sleep and I can run around with my nephews and my niece – something I certainly couldn’t do before I lost all that weight.”
If you’re ready to get control of your life, Jason's advice is to “plan, plan, plan”.
"Plan your goals. Plan your menu and get it ready for the week ahead so you don’t have to decide what you’re going to eat at the last minute and risk making a bad choice," he said.
“You might also want to take a picture of yourself at the start of your journey. Enlarge it and place it on your wall so that every day you’ll be inspired to stay on your journey.”
Aim to maintain
Right now, Justin is happy to maintain his weight by enjoying his healthy diet. He’s continuing with his cardio sessions at the gym and focussing on weight training because he plans to build his six-pack by the time his 37th birthday comes around in a few weeks.
“Last year, a group of us went to Sydney and did the bridge climb. I have the pictures of me from last year and this year, my pictures will be very different and I am looking forward to comparing the two. I certainly don’t intend to ever go back to the overweight way I was before.”
And what about the regulars at Jason’s tavern? “The customers have stopped asking me about the due date for my baby now and instead, they ask me how I did it – what’s my secret? Even customers who had never taken the time talk with me before now stop and chat. Plus, I get a fair few pinches on my bum – from the women customers, I hasten to add!”