Together they lost 267kg … meet the state finalists in Weight Watchers’ 2006 Slimmer of the Year contest..
Stella
Age: 37
Before: 129kg
Now: 69kg
Weight lost: 60kg
Vic/Tas
Overweight for much of her adult life, Stella Nicola had tried almost every diet imaginable.
“But I couldn’t find one that I managed to maintain,” says the mother of six from Melbourne.
Everything changed when Stella joined Weight Watchers.
Today, the 37-year-old barely resembles her “before” photos, having lost 60 kilos.
“Being caregivers, we seem to put everyone else first,” Stella says. “Now, I’m up there with all the other ‘firsts’ in my life.
“I had two sick children, and that’s when I put on the last 20 or 30 kilos. I let myself go. I’m the world’s worst emotional eater — I could eat a whole tub of ice-cream — but now I can control it rather than let it control me.”
Not surprisingly, her health has improved since those days.
“My blood pressure is normal, and my doctor said my cholesterol levels are the best he’s ever seen,” she enthuses. “Never say never if you want to lose weight.”
Stella’s diet makeover
Breakfast: bowl of cereal with fruit and a piece of toast.
Morning tea: tub of low-fat yoghurt.
Lunch: roll with “everything you can imagine — turkey or ham, cheese, vegetables”.
Afternoon snack: rice crackers or cut up fresh vegetables.
Dinner: grilled chicken or fish with steamed vegetables. Serve of low-fat ice-cream.
Emma
Age: 20
Before: 97kg
Now: 66kg
Weight lost: 31kg
WA
Emma Thickett can hardly believe she let her weight get so out of control before losing more than 30 kilos on the Weight Watchers program.
“My life was so depressing!” says Emma, a student from Safety Bay, south of Perth. “I felt sick and I was an emotional mess.
“I hadn’t really acknowledged my weight until I saw a photo at my father’s 50th birthday. I was so disgusted!”
Emma’s weight-loss success has turned her life around. And she’s having trouble convincing people she’s the same person!
“I used to be a binge eater,” she says. “Now I feel so healthy. I have been able to conquer my emotional eating by recording how I felt when I wanted to eat.”
Emma’s dramatic results have also inspired her family. “My mother, uncle and aunt are all joining Weight Watchers!”
Exercise has become a daily event for Emma. “I try to do something every day, even if it is for 15 minutes.
“I still don’t like exercise much but I feel better for it!”
Emma’s diet makeover
Breakfast: Nestlé diet yoghurt with a few spoons of Weight Watchers muesli.
Morning tea: Weight Watchers nibbles or a Special K bar.
Lunch: salad and mayo sandwich/roll or a big salad.
Afternoon snack: piece of fruit and a cup of tea.
Dinner: chicken and either vegies or salad. Weight Watchers chocolate mousse.
Natasha
Age: 27
Before: 118kg
Now: 73kg
Weight lost: 45kg
NSW/ACT
All dressed up and ready to go, mother-of-two Natasha Cowan was heading off to a friend’s wedding when she bent over to pick up a bag and split her pants.
“I can laugh about it now, but I was really upset at the time,” she says. “My Mum did a quick stitch-up for me before we left, but then my pants split again in the car. I had to keep my jacket around me the whole time at the wedding, even though it was a 30-degree day. It was horrid.”
Determined to shed her excess kilos, the restaurant supervisor from Bolwarra, NSW, joined Weight Watchers.
There’s no doubt she has succeeded. Having lost an inspiring 45 kilos, she looks and feels better than ever.
“It’s given me so much more confidence. I’m happy to go out and socialise now — I just wanted to stay home before,” she says. “I have so much more energy.
“And,” she laughs, “The lights don’t have to stay off in the bedroom any more!”
Natasha’s diet makeover
Breakfast: bowl of cereal with fresh fruit.
Morning tea: tub of low-fat yoghurt or Weight Watchers Cereal Bar.
Lunch: plate of fresh salad and sliced cold meat, piece of fruit.
Afternoon snack: cup of tea with two low-fat biscuits.
Dinner: piece of grilled steak or chicken, served with steamed or stir-fried vegies. Low-fat custard.
Nicole
Age: 28
Before: 133kg
Now: 65kg
Weight lost: 68kg
SA
Bubbly school teacher Nicole Gully realised she had to do something about her weight during a school camp. She got stuck on a fence and had to be lifted off by another teacher and one of the dads! She joined Weight Watchers as soon as she got home.
“It was really quite mortifying,” says Nicole, who lives in the southern Adelaide suburb of Happy Valley. “But at the same time, it was the point where I said, ‘I can’t continue like this’.”
She teaches her students about health and fitness. Now, after losing a massive 68 kilos, she feels more qualified and confident to do so.
Nicole realised how much her appearance had truly changed when she attended a high school reunion.
“I was really stunned,” she says. “I was talking to these guys, and they were talking back and they didn’t know who I was.
“My best friend had to tell them, ‘That’s Nicole’.”
Nicole’s diet makeover
Breakfast: small bowl of cereal and low-fat milk. Piece of toast, no butter.
Morning tea: low-fat yoghurt and an apple or muesli bar. Coffee with skim milk.
Lunch: flavoured tuna in spring water, rice crackers and fruit.
Afternoon snack: piece of fruit.
Dinner: mushroom lasagne. Point-free salad or vegies. Occasional glass of wine.
Chrissy
Age: 37
Before: 138kg
Now: 77kg
Weight lost: 61kg
QLD
It’s a case of second-time lucky for Chrissy Bull. She joined Weight Watchers again after her first attempt didn’t stick — and she lost more than 60 kilos. So what changed for her this time around?
“I had more confidence, determination and faith in myself,” says Chrissy, who comes from the Chermside in Brisbane.
“I knew my body better, too — what I can and can’t do. I really don’t think I took that in well enough the first time.
“I know I can keep it off this time, because I don’t want to go back to Weight Watchers a third time!”
One of her main motivations was her 11-year-old son Reece.
“He’s a very outdoorsy kid, so he was always wanting to kick the ball or ride his bike with Mum … and Mum was always too tired, couldn’t be bothered or wanted to watch something on TV.
“Now I’m a new person and I’m out doing those things with him. He’s so proud of me.”
Chrissy’s diet makeover
Breakfast: couple of Weet-Bix with some milk.
Morning tea: soup in a cup.
Lunch: tuna salad.
Afternoon snack: Weight Watchers Choc Crisp bar or something similar.
Dinner: chicken or fish and steamed vegies.
Who’ll be judged Slimmer of the Year? Meet the winner in Woman’s Day on sale July 31.
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