Single mother of five reveals how she lost 55kg in three years

For years, the idea of ​​wearing a bikini was the last thing on Gabrielle May’s mind.

But after embarking on a healthy lifestyle journey three years ago, she now has the confidence to flaunt her physique.

By reviewing your eating and exercise habits, your physical and mental state have seen great improvements.

“I took a year before exercise to work on my mental health, to try to be kind to myself,” said May, 35.

Before embarking on her 55kg transformation, the single mother of five said she often got down and used the mirror to cover unflattering parts of her body.

“I became a very young mother. I was 21 years old, and a lot of our self-esteem is tied to what we look like, like it or not, and that’s a difficult journey to follow,” she said.

“I felt like I was losing myself with weight gain and I had very low self-esteem, I was very insecure and I didn’t have a kind inner girl.”

After spending all of 2016 working on her mental health, May said that not only did she learn to love herself again, but she realized that she, too, deserved to live a happy and healthy life.

It was at this time and after the birth of her youngest child, the Hobart woman decided to put herself on her priority list.

In 2017, she signed up for Australian fitness guru Kayla Itsines’s 12-week Bikini Body Guide challenge and SWEAT app, and along with changing her eating habits, she lost a whopping 55kg.

“I can say one hundred percent that I am sorry that these mothers believe that it is not possible because I also remember feeling that way,” she said.

“I really changed what it meant to use my time; for example, instead of spending 30 minutes on the couch overeating or looking at my phone, I would invest time in an activity and improve my energy.”

He also substituted one unhealthy meal a day for a salad with protein or vegetables.

“For me, it was all that mindless eating of rushing through the day, ending up hungry, and eating what was left over,” he said.

“I used food as consolation and also had a lack of education, thinking that eating less helped, not realizing that I would binge later.”

May began working out at home, which included three days of resistance training a week, before moving her sessions to a gym and doing five days of weight training.

“It was a challenge,” he said.

“I was also homeschooling and needed to do something that didn’t take time in my family because I didn’t have support.”

He said that while it was a long and slow process, he did not lose sight of his goal.

“I was out of shape and couldn’t do cardio. I couldn’t complete most movements and often had to take a break.”

But after reminding herself “I can do this”, May continued to be surprised.

“I realized that I was capable, that I can be proud, and I went from running 300 meters to running a marathon in Melbourne last year.”

“I also felt strong enough to leave my relationship and be a single mother of five children.”

May’s journey also inspired her first job after being a stay-at-home mom for 12 years. Now she has become a personal trainer and has achieved something she always dreamed of: releasing her first book, If I’m Being Honest.

“I changed my life and lost weight. It was always about feeling amazing and trying my best.”