Bathroom selfie exposes mum’s dramatic health transformation

A mum-of-four revealed it took just eight weeks to turn her life around she tragically lost a friend, aged just 34, and it scared her into action.

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A mother-of-four has revealed how it took just eight weeks to turn her life around after she tragically lost a friend, aged just 34, and it scared her into action.

Sophie Brown spent years avoiding exercise and indulging on sugary foods, resulting in her weighing almost 90 kilos.

Eventually a doctor warned Mrs Brown that her cholesterol was worryingly high, and warned she was verging on needing to be monitored for heart attacks.

However, it was the death of a friend that really rattled the mum into changing her habits, resulting in her transforming her health.

“I had a friend of mine pass away. She was 34, so the same age. It wasn’t anything to do with weight,” she said.

“But she had two young boys. I remember driving past their house one day and I just looked down at myself and realised I am eating myself into a grave.”

A mother-of-four has revealed how it took just eight weeks to turn her life around after she tragically lost a friend, aged just 34. Picture: Supplied

Sophie Brown years avoiding exercise and indulging on sugary foods, resulting in her weighing almost 90 kilos. Picture: Supplied

She said the knowledge that she could leave her children behind made her realise something had to change. So, she signed up for 28 by Sam Wood.

“It actually popped up on my Instagram feed. I hadn’t searched weight loss. I hadn’t searched any fitness stuff,” she said.

“The one thing that got me to sign up pretty much instantly was that it wasn’t filled with influencers who were talking about shredding to get a summer body.

“It was people starting off the same weight as me, normal people showing the food that they were making. It looked really simple.”

So, she went on the website and decided to sign up to an eight week challenge.

She said it was hard to shake her sugar addiction. Picture: Supplied

“The first two weeks, I hated. As much as I loved all the foods and I loved the exercises, in my head I was craving sugar,” she said.

“When you hear the word addiction, you don’t think of sugar, but I was waking up and having chocolate for breakfast, I’d go to the shops and do a food shop and buy chocolate.

“So, the first two weeks it felt like something had been taken away from me that I had used to help cope four the past four years.”

Mrs Brown described beating her addiction as “really difficult” but said having an online community to talk do when she was having a bad day really helped.

“At the beginning, the food and exercise was challenging because I was so unfit — but the trainers are so good. It made me feel pumped to do it.”

She’s lost 20 kilograms using the 28 by Sam Wood program. Picture: Supplied

Now she's ditched the scales and is healthier than ever. Picture: Supplied

Mrs Brown said even her kids enjoyed the food on the plan, meaning she didn’t have to make multiple meals, which she said also made her feel less alone.

The salmon, fresh corn and avocado salad was a big hit in her house, along with the Peri Peri burgers. On the exercise front, she loved the strength training and HIIT classes.

During the eight week challenge, she lost 16 kilograms, and has since gone on to lose a further four.

But, now she’s ditched the scales — a move which Wood commended — as it was about eating well and making the right choices.

The mum also said she still enjoys ice cream with her kids and is happy she’s discovered how to follow a balanced diet.

She’s also shared her dramatic transformation in a series of bathroom mirror selfies which she took to document how far she’s come in her health and wellness journey.

Originally published as Bathroom selfie exposes mum’s dramatic health transformation