She was on holiday at Nambucca Heads, North Coast, NSW, when she slipped and hurt her knee.
Holed up in her hilltop accommodation recuperating, all she could do was stare down at one of the best beaches in Australia and dream about what it would be like to go swimming.
But the truth was, she finally realised, her injury was only part of the issue – at a dangerously unhealthy 115kg she was in fact too self-conscious to get wet.
“My weight had slowly been increasing as a result of inactivity due to my ongoing knee problems and bad eating habits. When I told my husband I was 115kg I was so embarrassed.
“I couldn’t buy nice clothes and was wearing size 22 – 24. It was then that I realised I didn’t like myself anymore.”
Flicking through a magazine, Susan spotted a Weight Watchers ad and knew she had to sign up before it was too late: “It was one of the best decisions of my life.”
Susan admits that the changes in lifestyle and diet the program demanded were far from easy.
Her progress was also hamstrung by athroscopies, two knee replacements and a rare medical condition that gave her double vision.
But today she’s proud of the 74kg woman she sees in the mirror.
“Everyone’s journey is different, and it doesn’t matter how long it takes, it’s taking the first steps that matter,” adds Susan, winner of Weight Watchers’ prize [The Healthies] for the biggest nationwide transformation this year.
“My confidence has increased dramatically! I can now go into any shop and buy the clothes I always wished I could.”
Susan’s weight-loss tips
1) Keep tracking. Tracking is so important for your weight loss, if you have a good or bad week you can look back to see what worked for you. It also helps you to avoid food amnesia.
2) Set yourself small goals and work toward them. If I had set myself a goal of 42 kgs it would have seemed so hard. Instead I set 10 kg goals for myself. As you lose weight, pick up an item of similar weight to what you’ve lost to remind yourself how far you’ve come.
3) Attending Group Coaching it is so important, even if you have a bad week. You will receive all the support and motivation you need to get back on track and continue your weight loss.
