If you’ve had a certain shape your whole life, it’s hard to imagine looking completely different. Yet, for graphic designer Leanda Ludick, that’s exactly what happened. “I set out to lose weight, but, as I progressed, I achieved a better body than I could’ve ever imagined,” she says.
BEFORE: 79.4kg
AFTER: 59kg
Height: 1.66m
Time taken to lose weight: Seven months
Secret weapon: Willpower
Lesson learnt: “There are other ways to reward yourself than with food”

THE GAIN

Leanda had always been a bit plump, but when she had her second child, the stress and added exhaustion started taking a toll on her body. “I ate chips and chocolate in bed every night,” says Leanda. “It was such a problem I’d even Google things like ‘How to overcome chocolate addiction,’” she admits. Half-hearted, intermittent trips to the gym didn’t help shift the kilos.

THE CHANGE

Leanda didn’t like what she saw in the mirror. “I was looking like a mother of two who’d let herself go – that’s something I swore I’d never be,” says Leanda. Then, in March 2013, she found the motivation she needed. “My husband, my sister and I challenged each other to lose weight.”

THE LIFESTYLE

Leanda went cold turkey, cutting out refined and processed foods. “I wouldn’t buy anything in a tin, box, packet or bottle unless it was tuna, brown rice or lentils,” she says. She ate a low-fat, low-carb, high-protein diet and committed to 30-minute training sessions three days a week. “I could only get to the gym during my lunch hours, so I focused on high-intensity weight training,” she says. She also squeezed in workouts while the kids were playing or watching TV.

THE REWARD

Leanda not only changed physically, but mentally too. “The confidence that comes with getting the body you’ve always dreamed of is wonderful. I feel as comfortable in a bikini as I do in my pyjamas,” she laughs.

LEANDA’S TIPS

Plan, plan, plan! “Prepare healthy meals in advance so that when you get hungry or busy, you don’t have to grab the next best thing to eat.”
Never go hungry. “Keep snacking on healthy, low-kilojoule foods so that you don’t feel starved and eat everything in sight.”
Remember – it’s a journey. “It will take time to lose all the weight you put on, but with every kilo you lose, you’re closer to your goal!”