FROM FOOD ADDICT TO FASHION MODEL
At her heaviest, Rozanne Olivier weighed 167kg – and she wasn’t even 30 yet. Now 31, this beauty school owner is breaking into the SA modelling world and planning to wow the European fashion scene too…
Rozanne Olivier switched to a healthier lifestyle and dropped 65kg!
GROWING up, Rozanne Olivier dreamed of becoming a self-assured woman, much like the models she’d seen in the windows of Donna stores. ‘I would daydream about being that confident and having a sense of self-pride,’ says Rozanne, a Bloemfontein-based model.
But those dreams had to be put on hold when, as a young girl, she found herself turning to food for comfort. ‘I started experiencing problems with my weight at about the age of 10, when my parents were going through a divorce – that hit me really hard,’ says Rozanne.
‘My mom is an anaesthetist who worked long, irregular hours, so my older brother and I were often home alone,’ she recalls. ‘We’d order takeaways most nights.’ Rozanne’s eating became so compulsive she would order extra food and hide it away to eat on her own later.
This behaviour of ‘eating her emotions’, sent her into debilitating depression for years. ‘I was eating non-stop,’ she says. I wasn’t ‘living’ any longer: I was sleeping most of the time and eating
‘ I was sleeping most of the time and eating the rest of it. I would be eating breakfast, wondering about what I was going to eat next – it was a constant need. Food was an addiction. ’
the rest of it. I would be eating breakfast, wondering about what I was going to eat next – it was a constant need. Food was an addiction.’
Rozanne’s slow but steady journey to living a healthier life started in 2014 during a shopping trip to find an outfit for a friend’s birthday party. ‘I couldn’t find anything that fit me. I stood in one of the changing rooms with sweat dripping down my face and decided: “I can’t allow this any longer!” That’s when I realised that if I didn’t make a change, I could end up dead.’
Rozanne sought the help of a dietician, who took an unconventional approach to help her stay on the path. ‘I was so addicted to bad food that she’d allow me a Steers burger every second day, just so I wouldn’t become frustrated with having to eat healthy food. That helped me reach a point where I felt strong enough to go without it.’
Two years later, she was ready to take things up a notch. So Next Level Health & Fitness tailor-made an eating and exercise plan to suit her needs. ‘The plan is mostly low-carb, but it did include a high-carb day as well as a day of fasting.’ The high-carb day, she was told, would assist in speeding up her metabolism.
‘It wasn’t easy, of course. I often fell off the wagon, so I can’t say that I stuck to the plan 100 percent – but I learned to make better decisions. I would eat smaller portions by choosing a side plate instead of a large one, or swap out carbs for vegetables.’
Since that turning point five years ago, Rozanne has lost 65kg. She credits a regular exercise regime with her personal trainer as being a crucial part of her lifestyle too. Her routine includes high- and low-intensity workouts as well as weight training. She also makes use of electro muscle stimulation at Body20 to help tone the loose skin that is the result of her dramatic weight loss.
The time had come for Rozanne to fulfil that early dream of stepping out into the world more confidently. Today, she models for ICE Genetics Model Management and has featured in campaigns for Donna, among other well-known brands. ‘That was one of my proudest moments – seeing myself in the windows for Donna,’ she says. ‘I also walked the runway for Ruff Tung at Cape Town Fashion Week. They are the first brand to include plus-size models in their show.’
‘ It wasn’t easy, of course. I often fell off the wagon, so I can’t say that I stuck to the plan 100 percent – but I learned to make better decisions. ’
She is also the owner of Head to Toe, a beauty school in Bloemfontein, where she lectures parttime. Rozanne travels between Bloemfontein and Cape Town during the busy modelling seasons and is aiming to launch herself on the European modelling scene too. Her biggest aspiration, though, is to open a plus-size modelling school in Bloemfontein.
‘There aren’t really opportunities like that here, and I really want to help empower girls and women who aren’t seen as conventionally beautiful – not just to train them in modelling, but to help them work on themselves and grow. I would like to implement training techniques and eating plans to create a well-rounded, inclusive experience.’
One of the biggest contributors to her evolving self-confidence is her strong support system. ‘My mom really encouraged me, and my partner, Dennis, motivates me and pushes me to do better every day.’
Rozanne says one of the most important things she’s learned is that the journey to a healthy, happy lifestyle is an ongoing process and that each day presents new challenges. ‘Sometimes I still feel like that “fat girl” is inside of me, and sometimes I fall off the wagon and binge-eat, but emotionally, I’m a lot stronger and a lot happier. I’m not constantly depressed like I used to be.’