A mum has revealed how she lost 43 stone and completely transformed her body after making some small lifestyle changes that anyone can do.
Tanya Gillman, from Warnambool in Victoria, started gaining weight for the first time after a difficult pregnancy and traumatic birth left her bedridden for months – and her weight shot up to 108kg at her heaviest.
The 42-year-old needed five operations to recover from childbirth and was unable to walk or move around her home at all in the meantime.
Tanya spent her time thinking about her health and realized that if she wanted a better life for herself and her family, she would have to make healthier choices.
She started small, taking a walk around the block first thing in the morning and trying to do some form of exercise every day.
Since starting her health journey in November 2021, Tanya has been exercising every day and aims to complete a 1000 day streak by July 2024.
A mum has revealed how she lost 43 stone and completely transformed her body after making some small lifestyle changes
Tanya Gillman, from Warnambool, Victoria, started gaining weight for the first time after a difficult pregnancy and traumatic birth left her bedridden for months
“I have continued to exercise every day because it has given me the mental toughness to take care of myself and focus on myself no matter what hurdle I jump over – and honestly there have been so many,” she told FEMAIL.
“I see this as a journey, not a destination, where I learn more about both my mind and my body every day.”
Tanya started tracking her food intake and writing down everything she cooked and bought so she could analyze what needed to change.
She revealed that cooking and preparing healthier foods also helped her change her family’s diet.
Being a busy working mother, Tanya previously opted for meals that were easy to put together and didn’t worry too much about protein intake or nutrition.
But she now realizes the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise, and how something as simple as replacing takeaway food with healthy alternatives can lead you to a better lifestyle.
Tanya found that setting achievable goals helped her stay motivated
The mother revealed that the Healthy mom mobile app was a constant companion on her fitness journey.
She used it for new exercises, to track down recipes based on what she had in her pantry, and to calculate her water intake.
“Sometimes the hardest part of being a mother is cooking to meet everyone’s needs, but this program was ideal for my children to try healthy alternatives,” she said.
Tanya found that setting achievable goals helped her stay motivated.
“I started with small goals: 61 days of exercise, but it felt great so I just kept going about 800 days later,” she said.
‘I have milestones along the way where I reward myself to keep the motivation going.
“It’s my favorite way to cope and put myself first, both physically and mentally. Achieving my goals has given me the belief that absolutely anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself.”
Tanya’s favorite exercises are boxing and kickboxing for an intense workout
Tanya’s favorite exercises are boxing and kickboxing for intense training – and she uses the Healthy mom app for instructional videos.
‘I also love walking because it’s a great way to get my kids involved and be a role model that shows them the importance of taking care of yourself.
‘I used to think my life was too busy to exercise, but I turned that thought around to make it a priority.
‘I trained when I had slots in the day to fit it in, so now I get up earlier to start my day right.
‘I usually start my day at 5am because I travel a lot for work and run around after my kids. Taking care of my health has changed my entire life and way of thinking.
“Honestly, it starts with your mindset, consistency and belief in yourself. It’s about acknowledging the negative, but turning it around and turning it into something positive.”