Health hero

CHRISTY RILEY, 39

My priorities have also changed. I make time for myself.

I’ve got more energy; I’m strong;

I’m more confident.

This time last year Christy was in tears when simply walking around Disneyland with her family caused her feet so much pain. Since then she’s shed 22 kilos and rebooted her relationship with food.

Five years ago I was in a wheelchair.

I’d had a fall and needed to have several operations on my feet. Recovery was a long, slow process and sitting at home

I was feeling really sorry for myself, so

I’d treat myself with chocolate, anything sweet, and 25 kilos just piled on.

I hid myself in the bathroom and cried and cried after walking around Disneyland for almost 14 hours with my family last January. My feet were in absolute agony. But I did not want to have surgery again – I’d probably put on more weight! That really galvanised me.

I needed to be healthier and I wanted to feel younger! Here I was hobbling around and feeling like, ‘This isn’t me. I’m too young for this!’ But I thought to lose weight I’d have to be jumping around like a maniac doing lots of cardio. Then I saw this woman on TV who lost 83 kilos on the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet and it seemed like commonsense, so I signed up online. I’ve learnt about serving sizes and making healthier choices. I still have bread, but I make sure it’s really good, wholegrain bread. And I still have the odd potato but not nearly as many. Every day I take my lunch to work and I put it on a plate, instead of eating it out of a container, so I can see it and really enjoy it. And every day people say: ‘That looks delicious!’

I look at food differently. I used to see food as a reward and a treat. Now I eat to live, not live to eat. So if I’m feeling down, instead of grabbing a chocolate bar I’ll go for a walk. I also do resistance training using stretchy bands.

I can now plank! I feel so good. My priorities have also changed. I make time for myself. I’ve got more energy;

I’m strong; I’m more confident. A lot of people have said I look younger – and

I look happier. That’s because I am!