In December 2009, 48 year old Donna Kahler from Sandgate in Brisbane was fast approaching 120 kilos. During a doctor’s visit, she was reminded of the likely health issues stemming from obesity. She was also told of the difficulties she would face losing weight, once she reached menopause. At the time, her mother had been diagnosed with diabetes. Donna’s children had grown up and her job was going well. For the first time in her life, she made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and get healthy. For some time, Donna had observed ladies coming and going from her local Curves club looking fit and refreshed. She wondered what “this Curves business was all about?”
In January 2010, Donna decided to join Curves Sandgate. Since then, she has lost almost 30 kilos and 138cm. She no longer feels the pain from previous back injuries and now “gets a kick out” of using the stairs rather than a lift.
Curves has provided Donna with valuable information about health issues such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, cancer and diabetes. With her new-found confidence, Donna joined her husband’s fishing club and can easily get into his small “tinny” now, something she had great difficulty with before. She has loads of energy for her full time job as a teacher, along with part-time study and helping her husband in his business.
The Curves Weight Management Plan has armed Donna with the knowledge to live the rest of her life the way she wants to. She knows how to enjoy all food and to “repair any damage from celebrations”, by moving through the different phases of the plan. “Plateau” is now just another word to Donna.
The confidence of losing and maintaining her new weight has helped Donna to improve her work/life balance. She is able to better cope with the day to day stresses, sleep well and enjoy each moment to the fullest. She is also now injury free.
Donna will never forget the comment that her husband made last year, when she started to lose weight. He hugged her, put her at arm’s length and said: “Where has the rest of you gone? You look great!”. Donna didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Looking back on her previous life, Donna realises that she “couldn’t see the forest for the trees”. “I was existing for everybody else but me”.
Donna can’t thank Curves Sandgate enough for her new lease of life. “Welcome to my new life! Bring on 50!”
