Leesa, 37, is a very busy single mum who works full time as a financial planner. She needed a weight-loss program that would fit into her hectic schedule and that she could adapt to suit her needs. She tried other programs and none of them worked for her, but that was before she discovered the The Biggest Loser Club – now she's lost 21kg!
"I've watched the Australian series of The Biggest Loser every time it’s been on TV and I'm always inspired by the results the contestants get. It was after watching the last series that I took a look at The Biggest Loser Club. I was eating the wrong kinds of food and not doing any exercise. I used to eat a lot of cheeses and nibbly food. I wanted to feel healthier and fitter and to be more active with my daughter. I also wanted to try something different. I had joined Jenny Craig but didn’t like the pre-packaged foods – it felt like a diet rather than a lifestyle change and it didn't teach me anything about what to eat. That's what I like about The Club. You get to eat normal foods; it’s realistic and adapts to your lifestyle; plus, the online support is fantastic."
Leesa loved the fact that she could access the information on the site 24/7 and print it out and use it whenever she needed. "I’m at work for 70 per cent of my time and I found it really helpful to download the menus and exercise plans and put them in a ringbinder so I could use them every day. I used the menu plans a lot and enjoyed preparing what I was going to eat. Breakfast is really important to me and I would normally have an egg white omelette with tomatoes and zucchini. Morning tea would be rice cakes and a yoghurt, and then lunch would be a big salad with ham or chicken. In the evening, dinner was usually a stir-fry or grilled meat. I also ate a lot more fresh fruit, salad, vegies and fresh meat. Now, I understand that it's all about food preparation and portion sizes. I've also realised that whatever you put in your mouth you have to burn off."
While Leesa didn't find the program too challenging, her weight loss didn't happen overnight. "It took me 24 to 25 weeks to lose the weight. I had a small child and none of the gyms around here have child care. Being a single mum and working nine to five made the whole exercise thing difficult, so I decided to do it at home. I followed The Club's gym guide exactly as it was on the site. I used a bicycle, treadmill, fitness ball and weights – and it worked!"
Leesa was motivated by Munnalita from Series 2 of The Biggest Loser, who she felt she had a lot in common with. "Munnalita was a great inspiration for me. She's about the same height as me and I thought her transformation was amazing. I thought, if she can do it, so can I! Having lost 21kg, I feel great, I have so much more confidence. It’s amazing the difference it makes – you don’t realise it until you do it."