After tipping the scales at 87 kilograms, mum Courtney Thursfield knew she needed to make some lifestyle changes.
Her motivation came two years ago after her daughter, then aged four, was about to start kindergarten.
“I didn’t want to be that big mum with a kinder daughter,” Courtney, 32, of Lyndhurst said.
“I realised I had to stop using baby weight as an excuse.”
After embarking on her weight loss journey including exercising and healthy eating Courtney is back on the netball court after dropping 27 kilos.
Now at 60 kilos, Courtney says she feels “absolutely fantastic”.
“I’ve got so much of my energy back, so much of my health … I don’t think I realised how unhealthy I was.”
And she did it all without having to sign up for a gym membership.
“I walk a lot; I play netball,” she says. “You wouldn’t find me in a gym and I still huff and puff when I run around the netball court.”
Courtney said she came across a healthy meal plan in a copy of the Healthy Mummy magazine which inspired her to make the first steps in leading a healthier and happier life.
“It’s just a fantastic way to follow along with meal ideas and sticking with your calories,” adding it’s for “real mums that don’t have a whole lot of time”.
Years ago Courtney suffered a sporting injury and underwent a knee reconstruction, and lost total faith in her body.
In fear of doing more damage did nothing for over two years and gained weight.
She said the program was initially hard but with the support of her husband Chris, who also undertook the journey with her, they haven’t looked back.
Today, the brave mum is excited to appear on the front cover of the Healthy Mummy magazine after taking part in a photo shoot with three other mums in just their underwear – an experience she described as “confronting and “daunting”.
“I think the confidence came through after a little while though – just going: ‘You know what this is really great’ and we get to show other mums what we’ve done and that they can do it to.”
The magazine comes out on Monday 23 March.
