A mother-of-three from New Zealand has revealed how she managed to lose 45 kilos in two years.
Natalie James, 34, said that she used to eat pasta five times during the week, often loading it with cheese.
‘I was a huge pasta lover – I had a few withdrawals when starting out and that would be my go to cheat meal and I would eat it four to five times a week,’ Natalie told FEMAIL.
Mother-of-three, Natalie James, 34, has managed to lose almost half her body weight in two years (pictured before and after)
Natalie said that she would eat pasta numerous times during the week, often loading it with cheese
‘But now when I eat it it makes me feel sluggish, bloated and heavy, so its not a food I eat often now.’
Natalie has three children under under eight and her youngest, Finn, was born with a serious illness.
‘He has hereditary Spherocytosis which is a blood disease. He’s been in and out of hospital and in his first year of life had six blood transfusions,’ Natalie told FEMAIL.
‘He had to have his spleen removed at age one – it was a hard time but it’s all behind us now.’
She explained that she was always putting herself last while raising her three kids, which is what a lot of mums tend to do.
‘When you’re a mum you lose yourself a little bit, I wasn’t my own person anymore, I was only someone’s mum so I needed to do something for myself.’
She explained that she was always putting herself last while raising her three kids, which is what a lot of mums tend to do
‘I never really prioritised what I looked like or getting into shape, it got harder when having children, especially after my son was born.
‘A lot of time of his first year of life was spent in and out of hospital and while I was looking after him I was just eating convenient food.’
Although Natalie said that she had always been bigger through her life, including high school, she noticed a bigger change when having her kids.
‘Convenience food was a huge part of our lives but you’ve got to make yourself a priority, you’ve got to take the time out,’ Natalie said.
‘It is made so much easier if you’ve got support from your family, otherwise you do get stuck in a rut.’
Natalie has three children under under eight and her youngest, Finn, (pictured right) was born with a serious illness
To shed the 45 kilos that Natalie’s lost, taking her from 110 kilos to 65, she drastically changed her diet.
‘Before I was eating everything and anything. I did whatever I wanted because I was thinking, “Why not? You only live once.”‘
To help make the dietary changes Natalie used the myfitnesspal app to track what she was eating.
‘I’m eating more clean so my diet consists of vegetables, lean meats, eggs, Greek yoghurt and fruit.
‘Whereas before I was eating a lot of fast food, a lot of carbs, takeaway, tacos, burgers and I was simply not making good choices.’
To shed the 45 kilos that Natalie’s lost, meaning she’s gone from 110 kilos to 65, she’s drastically changed her diet
‘I think having that cheat meal of the foods you love definitely helps as you’re not giving it up completely, you’re just being a bit more smart about the amount of it your eating.’
On top of this, Natalie goes to the gym three times a week with her personal trainer for weight based training, does a circuit class once a week and then goes to the gym once or twice a week herself.
Natalie explained that the first step is always the hardest but that you ‘just need to get out and do it’.
To help make the dietary changes Natalie used the myfitnesspal app to track what she was eating
Although now exercise is a part of Natalie’s life and routine, going to the gym was once a daunting and ‘scary’ experience.
‘It was just the thought of getting out of my comfort zone, I didn’t have much belief in myself that I could do it so I never set any goals in the beginning.
‘I soon got addicted to the results and the weight started coming off, I started to enjoy it more and I started to take it a little more seriously and it became a habit.’
She explained that when she weighed over 100 kilos she thought how she felt was ‘normal’.
Although now exercise is a part of Natalie’s life and routine, going to the gym was once a daunting and ‘scary’ experience
‘But now I realise how sluggish and unhealthy I was feeling, once you’ve been healthy for a while and then you have a bit of a treat or relax for a little while you think “Oh god I couldn’t live like this all the time”,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘Getting out of the bed is difficult but now I have so much more energy, I’m sleeping a lot better and I’m so much happier.
‘My overall being is the best thing to come out of this, I’ve had mums at school come up to me saying they thought I was a new mum just because I seem like a completely different person confidence wise and my whole demeanor has changed.’