“Since high school, weight has been an issue for me. I was never grossly overweight but being a teenager, looking like the models in magazines was the ideal and believe me, that was too difficult a task to achieve!
When I met my husband Andre, at the age of 20, I weighed around 60 kg. After my two children and a hysterectomy at the age of 30, I gradually and continually picked up weight. Although I realised that I was overweight, it did not bother me too much and I was quite comfortable with myself. As I always wanted to eat everything in sight as soon as I made a decision to ‘diet’, it usually didn’t last for more than a day and I continued on this road of gaining weight gradually.
Before I knew it I weighed over 100kg! About two and a half years ago I decided to do something constructive about my weight. During my research, I came across the TLC website and even made enquiries about how it worked, the costs etc. At the time I did not have medical aid and the fee was a bit too much for my pocket and I put the idea aside.
Later, my husband qualified as an auricular acupuncturist and I agreed to undergo an intense detoxification treatment programme with him. The auricular acupuncture treatment certainly brought back the balance that I needed and the conviction that I was mentally ready to do something about my weight. Having enquired about the TLC program before and liking the approach of a healthy eating plan instead of a so-called diet, I contacted TLC again and started on my program.
My initial weight when I started TLC was 103.4 kg. The 100kg mark was a huge obstacle which I could not break for many years. I even joined boot camp and attended a class every day for eight months, to no avail. Although I did not gain more weight, I certainly did not lose anything during the intense boot camp sessions.
I reached my goal weight, having lost 29.4kg! I did not think it was possible to look and feel this great again. I no longer have swollen ankles, I feel healthier, more energetic and the best is that I no longer have to buy clothes in the plus size departments of the clothing stores. I started boot camp again and can truly see and feel the difference. In the past I could not run around the hockey field once without stopping or changing to a walk. The running during boot camp was a huge challenge before, I can now run around the field three times without stopping at all and this was achieved in the first week of boot camp.
TLC was certainly easy to follow, all it takes is the planning of your meals, particularly when you work or when you attend functions. When I went to functions I took my own food with. I never once felt out of place, hungry or deprived. The eating has become a way of life for me and I can no longer eat large portions of food at a time.
Today I weigh 74 kg. People I have not seen in a long time, hardly recognise me. It feels good to be alive!”
Bonita