'I didn't want to wear an XXXL': The fancy dress party that motivated this Adelaide mum to drop 40kg
Lyndal Wimalasekera was out shopping for a fancy dress costume to celebrate her sister's 40th birthday when she came to a painful realisation.
The Adelaide mum wanted to dress up as Wonder Woman, but rifling through the costumes, she couldn't bear to try on an outfit.
At 113kg, Lyndal knew she wanted to make a change, and soon.
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Adelaide mum Lyndal before her 40kg weight loss Supplied
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"I didn't want to wear an XXXL and to be uncomfortable and self-conscious all night," Lyndal, 46, tells 9Honey.
"I ended up being Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction in a big white shirt… and I thought, 'I want to be happy, for myself and my family'.
"I hated that I couldn't turn up in as the person I was supposed to be."
It was late 2019, before Australia's coronavirus lockdowns, and Lyndal's weight had also pushed her into early menopause.
The mum-of-one wanted to try for a second child but was already experiencing hot flashes and bloating in her early 40s.
Lyndal wanted to dress as Wonder Woman but opted for another costume when she didn't feel comfortable Supplied
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"I had the typical hot flashes, I just felt irritable, and I was probably the worst person to live with ever!" she explains.
"We'd tried to have a second baby and didn't realise I was going through early menopause. We tried IVF a little bit as well and that didn't work.
"The emotional toll of that, combined with emotional eating and depressive thoughts, contributed to the weight."
The busy mum's day-on-a-plate usually consisted of an unhealthy breakfast such as sugary cereal, a heavy focaccia sandwich for lunch and a light dinner.
"Then I'd end up snacking every time I walked past the pantry," Lyndal admits.
Lyndal had tried keto and paleo diets in the past to no avail and struggled with exercise due to arthritis, so she did some research and came across WW — formerly known as Weight Watchers.
She overhauled her diet with WW's food plans and workshops, swapping out heavy carbs and sugar for vegetables and healthy protein.
Lyndal before her weight loss Supplied
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Instead of takeaway, Lyndal ate delicious recipes such as slow-cooker red pork curry and salted caramel and coconut bliss balls.
Watching in awe as the weight fell off, Lyndal was able to drop a staggering 40kg in just one year, all while stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.
"I was at home for around 15 months following the program and once lockdown stopped, I achieved my goal," she says.
"The program is absolutely fantastic, it's absolutely tailored to you and your needs."
In November 2020, Lyndal reached her goal weight of 73kg and was stunned by the woman she saw in the mirror.
Adelaide mum Lyndal lost 40kg while in lockdown Supplied
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"My clothes just fit me well, I feel comfortable and my entire look has changed," Lyndal says.
"I can sit on a seat at my son's school concert, which is a really hard seat, and not feel uncomfortable!
"The girl that is on the outside now has always been in there, but now I feel like my true, authentic self."
The mum-of-one feels happier and healthier on the inside and outside Supplied
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Now a size 10-12, Lyndal's goal is maintaining her healthy weight, which she can do through WW's new Personal Points system, a program which allows members to gain points for healthy habits.
"The girl that is on the outside now has always been in there, but now I feel like my true, authentic self."
"I love the fact you earn positive points on veggies, it encourages you to bulk up your meals with veggies, to drink water and move your body in whatever way you can," she says.
"It's really encouraged me, my body must be singing on the inside because I'm feeling so good on the outside!"
Lyndal wants other people to know they can make a positive change in their life Supplied
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The proud mum hopes her weight loss journey will encourage other people to "trust" they can make a positive change in their life, adding that she had "no idea" what she was missing out on.
"You can't keep doing the same thing and expecting different results," she says.
"You need to be ready to make a change and a commitment, believe in yourself that you are totally worth it. Don't be afraid of change."
