A loving husband has shed an impressive 23 kilos in support of his wife as she went through IVF.
Korean-born Hugh Gwon, 34, embarked on a diet and fitness mission as his Australian wife of five years, Nichola, 34, started infertility treatment.
‘For years he had been wanting to lose weight. He had always just accepted that he was bigger, especially for his height and for Korean standards,’ Nichola told Daily Mail Australia.
Korean-born Hugh Gwon, 34, (pictured) embarked on a diet and fitness mission as his Australian wife of five years, Nichola, 34, started infertility treatment
‘It was really difficult. I love socialising,’ Hugh told Daily Mail Australia, of his fitness mission which saw him drop 23 kilos
‘He had tried before but had given up. Seeing what my body had to go through with the first round of IVF really spurred him to take the weight loss seriously and think about his own health.
‘Although I am the infertile one, him being healthy can really help with IVF too, so that was part of his motivation,’ she added.
Hugh and Nichola – who are the husband-and-wife team behind a popular web comic series called My Korean Husband – met in Sydney during a language exchange.
Hugh and Nichola – who are the husband-and-wife team behind a popular web comic series called My Korean Husband – met in Sydney during a language exchange
‘Originally he was wanting to improve his English and I was interested in learning Korean,’ Nichola told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He grew up in Korea but had been living in Australia for several years.’
After meeting in 2010, the pair married at a registry office before enjoying big Australian and Korean ceremonies in 2012.
Now based in Seoul, Nichola said her diagnosis of endometriosis and other problems had led to her being told she would not fall pregnant naturally.
After meeting in 2010, the pair married at a registry office before enjoying big Australian and Korean ceremonies in 2012
‘Before starting IVF I had over a year of treatment of endometriosis in order to get ready for IVF,’ she said.
‘It was difficult not knowing whether we would actually be able to have a baby. The first round of IVF was very difficult and a failure.
‘I had some extra problems so the next round was even more specialised for me.’
She said that, at the time, her 172cm husband weighed 85 kilos and was having some health problems himself.
Now based in Seoul, Nichola said her diagnosis of endometriosis and other problems had led to her being told she would not fall pregnant naturally
‘It was really difficult. I love socialising, but even though I went out I had to control myself and not eat unhealthy food and not drink a lot,’ Hugh told Daily Mail Australia, of his fitness mission which saw him drop 23 kilos within six months.
Hugh focused on circuit training with a personal trainer and as his fitness improved, he ran three times a week and combined that with home workouts.
‘It was hard adjusting to exercise. Having a personal trainer helped a lot,’ he said.
‘These days I feel a lot more confident and healthy and less stressed.
‘These days I feel a lot more confident and healthy and less stressed,’ Hugh said of his transformation
‘Being unhealthy and overweight causes a lot of stress. Going out, shopping can cause stress but these days it’s easy to go clothes shopping.
‘The feeling I get after working out is amazing, both body and mind. A lot of people said they were inspired by my video and they started their working out project too.
‘It made me feel really happy to inspire others. It’s a good thing to be healthy and I want to share this experience with more and more people.’
To support her husband through his journey, Nichola cooked healthy meals for them both.
It’s a good thing to be healthy and I want to share this experience with more and more people,’ Hugh enthused
Hugh achieved his new physique with the help of a personal trainer – and he enjoyed traditional Korean dishes including fresh squid and kimchi
His new diet included a lot of sweet potato, tomato and chicken breast with lots of vegetables and fruit too.
He also enjoyed some traditional Korean dishes including fresh squid and kimchi and documented his transformation on YouTube.
So did Hugh’s hard work pay off?
‘Yes, I’m pregnant now,’ Nichola said. ‘When we started this round of IVF Hugh had already become a lot healthier, which means healthier sperm, so that could have helped as well.
Hugh’s hard work paid off with wife Nichola revealing she is pregnant. ‘When we started this round of IVF Hugh had already become a lot healthier, which means healthier sperm, so that could have helped as well,’ she said
‘Knowing how much he struggled in the past I’m really proud of him making such big changes.
‘He also did it in a responsible way over months and made lifestyle changes, rather than a crash diet.
‘He was so involved in the IVF process too and had to help me with all the needles, was there for every single hospital appointment, and knew what I was going through.’
‘Knowing how much he struggled in the past I’m really proud of him making such big changes,’ Nichola said of her husband
The delighted mum-to-be said she was still finding it ‘kind of hard to believe’ she was pregnant ‘after having come to terms that it may never happen.
‘Our child will be the first grandchild on both sides,’ she said.
You can see Hugh and Nichola’s journey documented on their Instagram page too.