I lost 30kg as a busy school teacher by making one diet change and following a popular workout

A schoolteacher has revealed how she lost 30kg despite a hormonal disorder and decades of unhealthy eating habits.

Katheline De Zilva, from Cranbourne, Victoria, had accepted that she would be overweight for the rest of her life after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. She found exercise “uncomfortable” and would often skip meals, binge eat and indulge in sweet treats.

The 30-year-old never expected to diet or lose weight because she couldn’t live a ‘sad life with the same chicken and rice meal forever’ – but everything changed when she joined the BFT (Body Fit Training) gym in her city.

Kat weighed 98kg when she signed up for the gym’s eight-week challenge, designed by elite strength and conditioning coach Cameron Falloon, who was also Princess Diana’s personal trainer early in his career.

‘I would forget to eat during the day and then binge eat at dinner to ‘make up’ for missed meals. My PCOS made me very tired, so I would eat something sweet to get some energy, or order extra side dishes to make sure I was full,” she told FEMAIL.

Kat completely changed her life by training six times a week and dividing her meals into smaller portions and spreading them out throughout the day.

Kat had tried various weight loss techniques in the past, such as signing up for free weights at the gym, watching YouTube videos, Pilates and swapping bread for cucumber and spinach.

“I liked Pilates, it was great for exercise and mobility, but I needed more,” she said. “Then my best friend and I started looking at fitness programs at gyms, but I was still very hesitant.”

Now Kat aims for 10,000 steps every day and trains six days a week.

The school teacher does three sessions of cardio and three sessions of strength training, with the latter two accompanying Pilates classes.

Kat didn’t step on a scale for six months after going to the gym because she was afraid the number wouldn’t move.

‘When I joined the gym, I had no intention of losing weight. I accepted my fate as an overweight woman with PCOS.

‘But over time I noticed my skills started to develop, and it was little things like progressing to foot push-ups, full burpees and box jumps.

‘When I saw the weight change at my first scan six months later, I thought the scales were broken because I was still wearing the same oversized clothes. I would pin and darn endlessly to make the outfit work!’

Kat even reminded her to cancel her gym membership after three months because she was so sure it wouldn’t help – but constant effort changed her life.

“I remember being intimidated at first, but I tried to get over it. The coaches at BFT were welcoming and friendly, and I didn’t feel like they were judging me.

‘The variety kept me interested, I enjoyed switching up my routine and focusing on areas I hadn’t thought of. I did high intensity, endurance, strength training and more.”

One of the first things Kat changed was her eating habits.

‘When I was diagnosed with PCOS, I understood it as ‘irregular cycles’, but there was more. Once I learned about the condition, I understood that I could handle the random bouts of fatigue without a snack to keep me awake or extra food at lunch.

‘I learned how to create a manageable exercise schedule, nutrition, what a balanced diet is and how to manage my meals throughout the day.’

Kat realized that breaking her meals into smaller portions was the first step in dealing with unhealthy snacks.

‘BFT’s eight-week challenge showed me that meals need to be broken down into smaller segments to ensure I’m fueling my body with the energy it needs to get through the day.

‘I like the variety, rather than just having to eat the same chicken and rice meal that some ‘fad diets’ can be.’

Kat revealed that her fitness journey has helped her understand what her body needs and she is now more energetic than ever.

“My past self was very nervous about starting something new, but my current self is so proud of showing up and staying consistent.”