In 2011, April Helene-Horton, then 26, tipped the scales at 171 kilograms.
Speaking to FEMAIL the Canberra-based mother said that while she always portrayed an outgoing and confident exterior, she recalls the exact moment she knew she needed to make a change.
‘My best friend who has three daughters – one of whom is my god daughter – turned to me at lunch one day and said “I’m scared you’re going to die”,’ April, 32, said.
‘She said “It’s hard for me to say but I want you to see my children grow up”.’
In 2011, April Helene-Horton, then 26, tipped the scales at 171 kilograms (pictured now)
Speaking to FEMAIL the Canberra-based mother said that while she always portrayed an outgoing and confident exterior, she recalls the exact moment she knew she needed to make a change
April is pictured left in April, 2011 and right, in January, 2016
‘I acted like it didn’t bother me at the time but it did hit me hard – what she said was exactly right.
‘I saw them as my babies and I actually didn’t know how much I weighed at the time but I knew I was heavy.’
April, who said she often covered up her insecurities by being over-confident, had struggled with her weight since she was a young girl when asthma medication led to weight gain.
As she grew up, she then started struggling with correct portion sizes and figured that she could always buy clothes in a bigger size if she gained weight so it ‘wasn’t a problem’.
‘I wasn’t active or fit either and I am a lazy person by nature. I was eating what I wanted and my portion sizes were absolutely enormous,’ April said
‘I wasn’t active or fit either and I am a lazy person by nature. I was eating what I wanted and my portion sizes were absolutely enormous,’ April said.
‘I love eating – all of my social activities were planned around meals and I would always meet friends to eat rather than go for a walk or to the gym.’
After the conversation with her best friend, April decided to try out Jenny Craig as it made it easy for her to eat well and regularly throughout the working week and weekends.
‘It was structured and I knew I needed a program because I had no success doing it on my own because of my portion size issues,’ April said.
After the conversation with her best friend, April decided to try out Jenny Craig as it made it easy for her to eat well and regularly throughout the working week and weekends
The program allowed April to lose weight with little exercise and she learned more about food
‘I started it in March, 2011, and by the time I got to June I had lost 20 kilos. My friend was getting married in May and I had an outfit I wanted to wear so I aimed for that and was really strict.’
We will never learn to love ourselves while we worry what others think of us.
The program allowed April to lose weight with little exercise and she learned more about food.
‘What was lacking in my education was that food was fuel for your body. I wasn’t expending energy so I was eating way too much food for my body,’ April said.
April then entered into a relationship for a few years where she gained a little bit of the weight back after getting comfortable.
‘What was lacking in my education was that food was fuel for your body. I wasn’t expending energy so I was eating way too much food for my body,’ April said
‘I was 146 kilograms and I had seen a few people who had found success with gastric sleeve surgery so I decided to get it done,’ April said
But after it ended, she decided to really focus on her health and continue with her weightloss journey.
‘I was 146 kilograms and I had seen a few people who had found success with gastric sleeve surgery so I decided to get it done,’ April said.
‘I had it in August, 2015, and it was really tough at first because you pretty much have to learn to eat again and it would take me an entire day to drink something like a Gatorade.
‘It was fluids first and then you slowly build up to solids over a few weeks.’
April is pictured at full term pregnancy after her weight loss journey
April, whose baby boy is healthy and nine weeks old, looks forward to getting back into exercise and going for walks with him
April also started up at the gym, started eating regular, healthy meals and within a year, weighed in at just 109 kilograms – 62 kilograms lighter than where she started.
‘The first 20 kilos came off within the first three months,’ she said.
‘It was amazing being pregnant and seeing photos of myself just looking like a healthy, normal pregnant woman.
‘I was going for walks and not huffing and puffing and being embarrassed, I didn’t look all hot and sweaty next to friends in photos and I didn’t have to worry about having photos taken at the “wrong” angle all the time.’
April then found out she was expecting a baby in October, 2016 and was determined to have a healthy pregnancy and maintain her results.
‘It was hard to rationalise how I felt because I wanted a baby so badly but I was also a little bit worried because I was having such strong cravings for carbs and sweet food – even though I could only eat a small amount,’ April said.
April managed to maintain her healthy lifestyle throughout pregnancy with the support of her partner who made sure they always had nutritious options in the home
‘I pretty much felt like I absolutely had to have baked beans on toast and things like that or else.’
April managed to maintain her healthy lifestyle throughout pregnancy with the support of her partner who made sure they always had nutritious options in the home.
‘I had to change my attitude towards food and eating beforehand and I am so glad I did because I really saw it as fuel and a way to grow and nourish my baby,’ April said.
‘It wasn’t about me, it was about growing this little person and my doctor told me how much weight I should be gaining throughout the pregnancy so it was all really easy.’
During the pregnancy, April was also walking her dog daily and enjoying every moment.
During the pregnancy, April was also walking her dog daily and enjoying every moment
‘It was amazing being pregnant and seeing photos of myself just looking like a healthy, normal pregnant woman,’ April said
‘It was amazing being pregnant and seeing photos of myself just looking like a healthy, normal pregnant woman,’ April said.
April, whose baby boy is healthy and nine weeks old, looks forward to getting back into exercise and going for walks with him.
‘It’s something I really look forward to with bub,’ she said, adding that she’s been able to bounce back and maintain her ideal weight while still being flexible with her diet.
‘I still enjoy bacon with my eggs occasionally, I still allow myself cocktails and alcohol and I’m not going to lie I absolutely love carbs,’ April said.
‘The reason I succeeded is because I did this for me, not anybody else, when I was ready. That’s how it should be done – otherwise you will just keep going around in circles.
‘We will never learn to love ourselves while we worry what others think of us.’
‘I still enjoy bacon with my eggs occasionally, I still allow myself cocktails and alcohol and I’m not going to lie I absolutely love carbs,’ April said
‘At the end of the day it’s not about looks, it’s about health, happiness and wellbeing,’ April said
April hopes she can inspire people to make changes as well.
‘At the end of the day it’s not about looks, it’s about health, happiness and wellbeing,’ April said.
‘You can become the people you look at and say “I wish I was them” – you are that person always.
‘I look back at photos and can’t believe how different I look. I just look like a normal, happy, person who is completely accepting of my body and who I am and it’s so amazing.’
April shares uplifting stories about parenting, lifestyle and weightloss on her blog and Facebook page, The Watto Mumma..