New mum and diet virgin Nadine Simpson needed inspiration to lose her baby belly. The restaurant owner from Western Australia had fallen into some bad habits: skipping breakfast and eating late to name just a few.
The 26-year-old had always been slim and sassy but she gained weight during her pregnancy. The clinging kilos made her feel uncomfortable, self-conscious and sapped her confidence.
Looking back on photos of herself and her family, Nadine decided to make some big changes. She'd seen The Biggest Loser contestants make huge transformations and decided to start her own journey.
“My diet was very unstructured before The Biggest Loser Club,” said Nadine. “I ate at irregular times throughout the day and often skipped breakfast. Lunch might be a sandwich or sushi and more snacking would follow – crackers and cheese were my favourite. Dinner might be takeaway or something simple, such as spaghetti.”
Lights out snacking
Nadine would also eat late at night when she was home alone, mindlessly munching on potato chips and pizza - a habit she knew she had to ditch.
The calorie equation struck a chord with young mum Nadine. “When I thought about it, it was really simple," she said. "I just needed to make sure that I burned more calories than I took in and something just clicked – it's perfect sense.”
The convenience queen had always chosen meals based on what was the easiest option. However she was bowled over by the "simple" and "tasty" meals in her plan and started making better choices.
Click to enlarge photos
Nadine before
Nadine before
Nadine after
Nadine after
Nadine after
Sunny side up
With baby Madison to care for, Nadine was realistic and steadily. She made healthy changes that she knew she would be able to keep for life, such as eating a healthy breakfast. Rolled oats or poached eggs are now often on the menu at the Simpson household.
Nadine put the squeeze on portion sizes too. Downsizing was a really important aspect of losing weight and keeping it under control in the long term, she said.
Dog days
There's nothing like a four-legged friend to make exercise more enjoyable. And, if you have someone relying on you, you're much less likely to miss a session. Nadine enlisted the help of the family pooch and started her exercise regime with a daily dog walk. From there she started seeing a personal trainer for a combination of boxing and weight training four times a week.
In seven months, Nadine dropped 11.1kg from her starting weight of 73.7kg – and she currently weighs a smidgeon under her goal weight of 63kg at a svelte 62.6kg.
“It feels so good to have to have made these changes and it has really helped my confidence. I love to be able to buy clothes that I like and look good on me – not just shapeless pieces that cover me up and hide my scary bits,” said Nadine.
“In fact, I bought a dress a few months ago. I loved it but it was too small for me to at the time. Some weeks into my Club plan, my husband and I were invited to an event and it was a perfect place to wear the dress. So, I tried it on and the dress still didn’t fit me, but this time, it was too big. That felt incredibly good!”
Taking it all in
Nadine had her sexy new dress taken in and she enjoyed the many compliments she received from friends over the evening. “I have been much heavier and I am so glad that I am now back to a size that feels comfortable for me. It actually feels great,” she said.
But losing weight hasn’t just boosted Nadine’s confidence; it has also boosted her energy levels which is no bad thing since baby Madison is growing rapidly and will soon be mobile. The proud mum is looking forward to running around with her daughter.
Fresh selection
There is no doubt that losing weight requires patience and commitment, something that Nadine fully acknowledges. “I had a small baby to care for and it was hard to find the time and energy to get up and go to a personal training session, especially after a night without sleep. In fact there were many times that I wanted to give up and just eat whatever I wanted. But if I did, I made sure I started fresh the next day.”
Every time Nadine weighed-in and recorded a weight loss, the feeling of achievement she felt kept her going. "It felt so good to lose weight. The feeling was too special to give up!”