Nikki lost 30kg

“It worked for me and it will work for you!”

Nikki's journey with The Biggest Loser Club began after a routine appointment with her doctor. Tests showed she had high blood pressure and at 97kg, she was classified as morbidly obese.

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At 97kg

Half way

At 85kg

Nikki after

30kg lighter

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As a committed Club member Nikki soon learnt just how important it was to keep track of what and how much she ate and exercised. She says, “By using my diary, I quickly realised just how much I was consuming. I think it’s really important to use this tool as it’s so easy to forget all the little things that you eat. It also teaches you about portion sizes and this was a major eye-opener for me.”

As a big fan of carbohydrates, Nikki was relieved to learn that the body needs them for fuel and that they're an important part of a balanced diet. “I knew that my healthy-eating plans could easily be derailed if I didn’t eat carbs. I work at a hospital and there are lots of dietitians there that I can call upon for more advice. They backed what The Club said – carbohydrates are important, but you have to focus on good carbs like wholegrain bread, eat them regularly and don’t overload them with fat or oil.”

Maintenance mode

Having lost a total of 30kg, Nikki is now successfully maintaining her weight and says she is a little less careful with her food choices than when she was focused on losing the kilos. That means she allows herself the odd treat. Overall she says she has found it easy to stick with the healthy-lifestyle changes she made as part of The Club program.

For example, where Nikki used to eat cheesecake first thing in the morning, she now enjoys a healthy breakfast. She’s also stopped ‘drinking her calories’ by cutting back on alcohol, juices and soft drinks. “I know too much about the calories they contain now and always opt for diet soft drinks when I am out.”

Jumping on weight regains

Nikki is determined never to let her weight get so out of control again and while she is not obsessive about weighing herself, if she sees an extra kilo or two on the scales, she takes action immediately. She also plans for holidays and festive events like Christmas by watching her calories and increasing her exercise so that she can have a few indulgences.

Staying motivated

Remembering how she used to feel keeps Nikki motivated, “I remember what it felt like to be so heavy, how easy it was to let my weight get out of hand and how much hard work I put in to lose the excess kilos. I was going to put a photo of the old me on the fridge to help me stay motivated, but I felt that it was too confronting.”

Nikki says many people don’t recognise her at all these days and everyone comments on how different she looks. That’s not surprising given she has gone from 97kg to 67kg with The Biggest Loser Club. Her dress size has dropped dramatically too, from a size 22 to a size 12.

Secret? What secret?

“When people ask me how I did it, I tell them that there is no secret, it’s all about good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise. I recently returned to my doctor and my blood pressure is now on the low side of normal – even he asked me what my secret was. I gave him the same answer, but he thought there was something I wasn’t telling him. There isn’t. You can do it and enjoy food with guidance from The Biggest Loser Club. It worked for me and it will work for you.”