Jelena Dokic reveals health and fitness goals after retirement weight gain

Former tennis world No.4 Jelena Dokic has revealed what caused her spiralling post-retirement weight gain — and her fresh health and fitness plan before her next challenge.

Jelena Dokic wants to almost halve her weight before her next challenge — marriage and children.

The former tennis world No.4 said getting fit and healthy was her priority after getting “lost” following her retirement.

Dokic, 35, is Jenny Craig’s newest ambassador, joining other big names such as comedians

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Starting the new Rapid Results program on December 1 at 99kg, she aims to shed 33kg in six months.

Tennis commentator and former player Jelena Dokic has signed up as Jenny Craig's new weight loss ambassador. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jelena Dokic tipped the scales at 120kg after emotional eating.

Jelena Dokic at the Australian Open in 2009.

Her goal is to get back to her playing weight of about 66kg.

Emotional eating and a lack of structure when she left tennis saw her tip the scales at 120kg.

The well-documented sustained physical and mental abuse at the hands of her volatile father Damir contributed to her comfort eating, as did battles with depression, glandular fever and a thyroid condition that affected her metabolism.

“I was thrown into retirement not knowing what direction I wanted to go in,” Dokic said.

“I wasn’t prepared — that’s where my weight gain started.

“When you’re a professional athlete, you’re in this bubble that’s not reality — everything is done for you … training, food, travel, management, so going back into real life was very different.”

Jelena Dokic is looking to regain her fitness.

Jelena Dokic with her abusive father, Damir. Picture: Charles Fowler.

She said her 2017 book Unbreakable, which revea­led the extent of her fath­er’s abuse, was also a catalyst to take control of her weight after years of failed diets and shun­ning social engagements due to her size.

“The book released a lot of emotions I was holding in for a very long time,” Dokic said.

“I’m happy with what I have, but (my weight) is the missing piece in the puzzle.”

After living between Australia and her native Serbia, Dokic and her boyfriend of 15 years, Tin Bikic, have been in Melbourne for two years.

“We’ve been through the good, bad and horrible,” she said.

Jelena Dokic and long-term boyfriend Tin Bikic.

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“(Tin has) been a great support — he was a key part in getting me back from the point of wan­ting to commit suicide.

“We have quite a few plans in the next few years — marriage is on the list and we’re definitely loo­king forward to having chil­dren sooner or later. Raising children, giving them that support and being there for them, and doing it differently to what happened in my family, is very important to me.”

Dokic has rediscovered her groove in tennis — she will be in the Australian Open commentary box for Channel 9, while she is also in demand as a public speaker and works as a children’s tennis coach.

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Originally published as Jelena Dokic reveals health and fitness goals after retirement weight gain