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It was the middle of the coronavirus in 2020 and the start of Melbourne’s strict embargo, when Debbie Guala, 55, decided to change her life – to lose 13kg in five months.
The Victorian woman tells 9Honey that she has been a « lifelong member » of a health and wellness program, but found that her progress had slowly stalled each year.
« I took care of my 94-year-old mother so there was virtually no exercise and my diet wasn’t the best, » Guala tells 9Honey.
Guala looked for new programs before settling on the CSIRO’s Total Wellbeing Diet, which she found « fantastic » within a few weeks. «
« Being unable and unhealthy can easily cost you, » explains Guala, adding, « It only makes you feel less safe and frustrated. «
« But I chose the program because it was all about Australian products and research – the way they put the program together was fantastic. «
After a flexible routine of healthy eating and regular exercise, Guala used the strict 112-day embargo « to use it as a positive experience and to take time for me. « . «
Even during the Christmas season, when festivals are known to bring an abundance of decadent goodies, family meal times, and more alcohol than a local bottle store, Guala’s new mindset helped her stay on track on her wellness journey.
The mother of four, who achieved her weight loss goal within 10 weeks of the program, said she was « on maintenance » for four months prior to the holiday season.
« My motto was to eat in moderation, but to enjoy it it was Christmas, » explains Guala.
The day after Christmas, Guala said she got her grown children to take the « indulgent leftovers » home to enjoy and « went straight to a Zumba class the next day! »
Guala notes that the program was effective in two parts: the preparatory session, which surveys participants and equips them with the psychological skills to adopt a new lifestyle, and the simple fact that she « never went hungry ». «
CSIRO today launched a free, personalized tool to help Australians better understand their food choices in 2021.
Based on psychology and behavioral science, the Start Strong Diet Quiz offers a more pragmatic – and factual – set of questions in hopes of turning into a tangible reality the annual resolutions many of us fail to live up to.
The CSIRO found that 93 percent of 11. 000 Total Wellbeing Diet members surveyed were motivated to lose weight to feel good and improve their quality of life, while 89 percent named health as a driver of fitness.
Guala says that when she « took the quiz » she felt « better informed » about the mistakes she had made in the past.
According to the CSIRO behavioral scientist Dr. Emily Brindal, the free questionnaire could be key to keeping New Year’s resolutions focused on health and wellbeing this year.
Brindal says that « New Year, New You » resolutions can often be spontaneous and we all know that despite the best of intentions, motivation often drops when challenges arise. «
« The Start Strong Diet Quiz is designed to help Australians take stock of their mindset and increase their diet and exercise motivation to ensure they are in with the key information they need to lose weight can kick off their weight loss program and improve their health in 2021. «
After months of her new lifestyle, Guala says it was the « most positive trip » of her life.
« I can play with my grandson, dance to some tunes, and enjoy life a lot more, » she says.
« I can finally wear some of the beautiful clothes I got for Christmas, but the weather is so terrible that I have to wait. «
CSIRO, Weight Loss, Diet, CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet
World News – AU – Melbourne woman shares « life-changing lockdown » journey that lost 13 kg in five months
Ref: https://honey.nine.com.au
