‘I switched one simple thing and lost 37kg’

She found a new lease on life

At age 59, this woman embarked on a weight loss journey that completely transformed every aspect of her life. Here’s how she did it, and why she says it’s never too late to focus on your health. 

Wendy Botha’s health transformation was anything but a fluke. Her impressive 37kg weight loss was the product of her tireless determination, small but effective lifestyle changes, and her uncompromising desire to be the best version of herself. 

The 59-year-old Project Administrator from Mernda, Victoria, spent much of her early life staying active, often cycling long distances. However, when her work/life balance began to shift towards to former, Botha recalls losing control of her healthy routine. What ensued, was a vicious cycle of weight gain, leading to her heaviest weight of 114.2kg. 

“My physical and mental health took even more of a backseat when I took on a demanding job,” she recalls. “Over the years, any healthy habits were thrown to the wind, the weight crept up, and so did my blood pressure and cholesterol.”

“The more weight I gained, the less motivated I was to try and do anything about it.”

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What sparked Wendy’s lifestyle reboot

While her diet prior to embarking on her weight loss journey wasn’t necessarily filled with junk food, Botha says her portion control and wine intake certainly took a toll, “I would eat large portions of pasta and not much else,” she says, adding that her exercise routine was virtually non-existent. 

“I really noticed my weight becoming an issue when I could no longer bend down to pick anything up off the floor– I couldn’t even tie my shoelaces,” Botha admits. “The big moment of truth was looking in the mirror and being disgusted, appalled and ashamed of the reflection looking back at me. I had had enough.” 

Determined to turn her health around, Botha enlisted the expert-backed CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet to guide her through her journey, finding the program’s food and exercise tracker particularly helpful to keep herself accountable and track her progress. 

“I just kept reminding myself to trust the science that the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet is built on, believe in and be kind to myself,” Botha says. “Another thing that I tapped into was the online and social media support groups available through the program, it made me realise I wasn’t alone in this journey.”

Botha at her heaviest weight, determined to change her lifestyle for the better. Image: Supplied

Now, after two years of tireless determination, Botha is thrilled to have not only lost 37kg (30kg in the first year alone) but also to have more control over her lifestyle. Her daily routine is a far cry from her life just a few years ago. 

“I get up every day at 4 AM and go to the gym where I will either cycle or run on the treadmill for an hour. It feels so good to move my body in the morning and I love being active again,” Botha shares.  

Since losing weight, Botha describes herself as a completely new person with a new lease on life. In addition to regaining her confidence, the Mernda local says she’s experienced a significant decrease in her blood pressure and cholesterol levels and has been able to reduce her medication significantly. 

“In 2024, I look forward to training for a 220km cycle and a Melbourne half marathon,” she shares. 

The benefits of Botha’s weight loss transformation have been life-changing. Image: Supplied

Wendy’s typical day on a plate:

Breakfast: Overnight oats with chia seeds.

Lunch: A Spud Lite with chicken or pork mince.

Dinner: A stir fry or salmon and roast vegetables.

Snacks: During winter, Wendy has a mug of homemade vegetable soup, and in summer swaps it out for fresh vegetables. Her favourite after-dinner snack is yoghurt and fruit. 

Though her diet drastically changed when she started the program, Wendy has found the organisation and portion control extremely helpful, taking the difficulty of managing a balanced diet throughout the day completely off the table, “I don’t feel like I’m being deprived of anything. I can still eat the foods I love, like pasta and wine, just in moderation!” She says. 

The biggest lessons she’s learned

While the guidance and expertise of the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet certainly helped shape Botha’s journey, the 59-year-old has learned she, like everyone, possesses the tools and motivation to kickstart any health goal, “I truly feel like I can tackle anything life throws at me,” she says.  

Almost ‘throwing the towel in’ after slightly regaining weight over the Christmas period in her first year of the program, Botha instead reminded herself of the science behind her tactics, looking back on the whole ordeal as a great learning experience now.   

“My advice for others is to always plan ahead and be well prepared,” Botha says. “That saying, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ is so true– a little bit of time the night before to prepare your breakfast, snacks and lunch for the next day gets rid of any decision fatigue.”

Originally published as ‘I switched one simple thing and lost 37kg’