‘I’m 2 sizes slimmer’
Busy community nurse, Karen Gower,
27, was desperate for an easy-to-follow plan that would transform her body
eating up too much time.
‘I felt so self-conscious at the start of
this challenge and dreaded the thought of getting into a bikini on my trip to
Ibiza with the girls this summer. I’m amazed by how much my confidence – not to
mention my body – has transformed in just eight weeks. My friends can’t believe
it either, especially those who haven’t seen me for a while – they’re all
texting asking what my secret is! I know how hard I’ve worked, so it’s great
that people are noticing the results, and the compliments have done wonders for
my confidence.
‘My whole attitude towards exercises has
completely changed over the last few weeks. I was prepared to try anything on
this challenge to change my body, as long as I could fit it in around my busy
job, but the one thing I absolutely dreaded was running. Now I love it! I’ve
gone from the person who slowly trudges along, hating every single minute, into
the girl who laps the local park, iPod on, come rain or shine. I enjoy it so
much, I’ve even signed up for a week 10K races. On my last session with my
trainer, Jane, I ran the 4 km route I’d puffed and panted my way through on my
very first session with absolute ease. I’m not sure which of us was more
delighted – though I felt a bit sad it was the last time we’d go running
together.
‘I’ve learned to eat healthily on the go
and portion control my food, too – measuring everything in imaginary palmfuls
makes it easy even when I’m eating out. As a result, I’ve ditched over 10
inches all over and lost over a stone. My initial aim was to drop a dress size
– I can’t believe I’ve dropped two!
‘It feels fantastic, especially because the
changes I’ve made are realistic habits that I can really stick to long-term.
I’m thrilled with the results; I feel fit, slim, confident everything I’d hoped
for. Ibiza, here I come!’
How Karen measures up
Height: 5FT
7IN
BEFORE
Weight: 12st
12lb
Waist: 36in
Thigh: 24in
Karen
Gower (Before)
AFTER
Weight: 11st
8lb
Waist: 32in
Thigh: 23in
Karen
Gower (After)
How she did it
§
Running two or three times a week.
§
Circuits of strength moves three times a week
and a Pilates class once a week.
§
A balanced, portion-controlled diet.
How she’ll kept it off
Zest fitness expert Jane Wake
(janewake.co.uk) says, ‘Karen’s transformation in just two months is absolutely
incredible. She’s gone from a shy, running phobe into a confident, slim fitness
fanatic. I’m delighted she’s found some workouts she loves, including running,
spinning and Pilates. She now has the determination to make them long-term
habits because she’s seen the effect they have not just on her body but her
confidence, too. She’s even lost another 8lb since the challenge ended, taking
her weight down to 11st, just by sticking to her new habits. It hasn’t always
been easy, but Karen’s worked so hard over the last eight weeks, she deserves
the rewards. To stop herself from slipping back into her old ways diet-wise,
she should keep fruit and nuts in her handbag and car. They’ll help keep her
crisp habit at bay, and maintain her gorgeous new figure.’
