Jemma Hahn, 37, Mandurah, WA, shares her real-life story of how a change of mindset helped change her exercise and eating habits… for the better!
My favourite festive tunes played in the background, as I half-heartedly decorated the tree.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get into the spirit.
“The season to be jolly indeed,” I huffed to myself.
Despite loving Christmas, standing on the scales that morning had lowered my mood.
Me (left) at the start of my journey, and again right, August 2022.
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At 34, I weighed 105kg and fit into a dress size 18, the heaviest I’d ever been.
It was December 2020, and during COVID, things had been tough on my own, caring for my four kids Ainjewel, 13, PJ, 12, Gracie-Jules, eight and Juliet, two, and I hadn’t paid attention to what I was eating.
I regularly ordered McDonald’s and on the rare occasion I cooked, I was liberal with butter and cream.
I also drank too much wine.
Then when my mum Julie, 53, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2020, I turned to food for comfort.
Me (left) with my mum Julie (right)
It was only when I weighed myself the true extent of how much I’d let myself go hit me.
Worried about my health – and wanting to set a better example for my kids – I made an appointment with my doctor.
”Your cholesterol is high, you’re borderline diabetic, and your BMI is obese,” he said.
I gulped, vowing to do something about it.
I allowed myself Christmas, before sitting down and thinking about what changes I needed to make to lead a healthier lifestyle.
As well as my physical appearance, I wanted to change my mindset as well.
As if the universe was reading my mind, an ad for a women’s empowerment course popped up on my Facebook page.
Thinking it would be good for me, I signed up.
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Documenting my journey has helped me to see how far I’ve come!
I attended the three-month course once a week.
The woman who ran it specialised in trauma and helping women overcome negative feelings they had towards themselves.
The work we did taught me the importance of being kind to myself.
These techniques came in handy when, a few months later, I was confronted with unflattering photos of myself taken at a family wedding.
Before, I would have burst into tears, but now, instead of beating myself up, I took a stand.
“It’s time for change,” I said to mum who was bravely going through treatment.
I started researching online for practical ways to lose weight without starving myself and came across the Healthy Mummy app.
I downloaded it and followed the meal plans, learning how to make a healthy stove-top lasagne, chicken chorizo enchiladas and a guilt-free pannacotta!
Learning practical ways to lose weight has resulted in me being able to drop 50KG.
In addition, I watched my portion sizes, quit alcohol and gave up takeaways.
Not long after, I took up walking and did exercise classes in my living room.
I lost 20 kilograms over a period of eight months.
Then, in June 2021, just as I was turning a corner, I returned a positive test result for the BRCA1 gene.
In February 2022, I had a full hysterectomy and a double mastectomy.
It took me six months to recover from the surgeries, and over that period, my weight inched up by 10 kilograms.
Life threw me some curveballs which set me back but I didn’t allow myself to give up!
But I didn’t allow myself to give up.
In August 2022, I officially reset, and by February this year, I’d lost those 10 kilograms.
I started swimming laps with mum and lost an additional 30 kilograms.
“I’m so proud of you,” she told me.
Today, I’m 55 kilograms, and I’ve gone from a size 18 to a size 8.
Me with my four kids.
This Christmas I’ll be able to relax and enjoy it without fears for my health, with just be a few more salads on the table than usual.
Mum’s cancer is in remission too.
The most important thing I’ve learned is to put myself first. Everything else will fall into place!
