Shelley gets to the heart of her weight loss | health

2nd December 2008

SHELLEY Hudson saw a photo of herself at a New Year's Eve party and thought, 'I look bigger than I usually do'.

It had been months since she stepped on the scales and when she finally weighed herself the answer backed up what the photos revealed.

“I jumped on the scales and I was 103 kilograms,” Shelley said.

“Going over the 100-kilo mark was devastating. I had always been big, but I knew then I could not get any bigger.”

That was almost a year ago. Now Shelley does not cringe when looking through photos. In fact you can't wipe the smile off her face as she browses through her wedding pictures from last month.

“You can love and appreciate life when you are overweight,” the 29-year-old said.

“You can be gorgeous and beautiful when you are overweight.

“It is about the strength in yourself when you are healthier. There is not that fear of getting sick.”

It is this worry that Shelley has lived with for ten years. When she was 19, Shelley woke up and could not feel her arms and legs.

“The tricuspid valve in my heart had packed it in. It wasn't genetic; I was just unlucky,” she said.

Four days later on her 20th birthday she had open-heart surgery.

“It's the reason I finally pulled my finger out: It was almost 10 years since my surgery and I was 103kg. I thought, 'this could not be good for my heart'.”

Shelley said she had been dieting most of her life.

“I had been on every diet you can buy a book on,” she said. “You read so many things, or one of your friends does this - I was constantly giving things a go. I was lost and confused.”

Just after Australia Day Shelley walked past SureSlim on Ruthven Street and forced herself to open the door.

“After a chat with Kerrie I was signing up. I didn't need to think about it, I needed to do it. I had been thinking about 'it' for most of my life - it was time for a change,” she said.

“SureSlim does blood tests, checks your cholesterol and glucose levels, and tailors a balanced eating plan for you.

“It was informative, scientific, supportive and straight forward.”

On Shelley's wedding day last month she felt beautiful but more importantly she felt strong and healthy.

“Now that I have lost weight I feel stronger in myself and healthier.

“The fear of getting sick has subsided.

“It was not just about weight loss but about the strength that I am gaining from exercise.”

SureSlim Toowoomba manager and consultant Kerrie Barber-White is also proof that the program works.

She joined up to support her diabetic daughter April. They both reached their goal weights and were so inspired by the results they went to work for the company.

“I am passionate and I know it works,” Kerrie said.

It is helping people like Shelley reach their goal weight which makes her job the most rewarding.

“It is the most rewarding part of the job getting clients on goal weight - children, women and men.”

The program is based on the blood tests and focuses on correcting the metabolism using supermarket-bought food.

“Shelley has shown that if you put in the hard yards you get results,” she said.

“Giving birth to a child is not easy but worth it. Weight loss and health isn't always easy but well worth it.”

Balancing a busy lifestyle and a business, Shelley and her husband Chris relied on 'convenience eating' and junk food was a staple part of their diet.

Now Shelley is on a maintenance eating plan after reaching her goal weight and is a regular at Fitness Works gym.

She looks and feels great and most importantly she is not scared anymore. “I am not scared of something happening to my heart anymore.”

It is also a reason Shelley agreed to tell her story.

“If even one person is influenced by my story and makes the decision to lose weight and be healthier than it is worth it,” she said.

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