Nurse shows off stunning weight loss transformation

A Melbourne nurse has revealed how she lost an incredible 45kg and completely transformed her body with just one simple change.

A Melbourne nurse looks unrecognisable after turning her life around to drop an incredible 45kg.

For Samantha Abreu, food has always been something that conjured up positive feelings of joy and connection, as it is a major part of celebrating her culture and bringing family together.

The 25-year-old told news.com.au that this often led her to “comfort eat” in times of stress or sadness, as a way to bring back those blissful emotions.

But using food in this way meant she has been overweight for most of her life, reaching her heaviest weight of 110kg back in March 2020.

Her larger frame made it difficult to get through long shifts at the hospital. Picture: Supplied

Samantha said she always hated people taking photos of her when she was at her heaviest weight. Picture: Supplied

While Samantha has always loved herself, she says her size 22 frame left her feeling extremely tired, run down and sluggish, which made it difficult to get through her long nursing shifts at the hospital.

But now after losing an incredible 45kg and dropping six dress sizes, Samantha feels healthier, happier and more confident than ever in her brand new 65kg, size 8-10 physique.

“I’ve always been on the chubbier side, even as a child,” she said.

“Food is a huge thing in my culture. My family is Portuguese, and we would always be eating when we would have our big get-togethers.

“It was a big part of my life growing up, so I think in my mind I associated food with those positive memories and emotions. I found it a huge comfort.

Samantha now works out at least four times a week. Picture: Supplied

Samantha has lost an incredible 45kg. Picture: Supplied

“I was also never really sporty as a kid, I was never into exercise or eating healthy. It felt like a chore.

“Although I never hated my body, I sometimes felt insecure. I never wanted to go swimming or go clothes shopping with my friends, because I was always bigger than everyone else.

“I’d avoid looking in the mirror, and would hate if anyone took a photo with me. I didn’t want to have to look at myself.

“I lived a life that was filled with some darkness and sadness. I didn’t see a bright future, and I found myself simply just existing, rather than living.”

When her hometown was plunged into lockdown, she decided to start gently walking each day to aid her mental health, and found herself falling in love with exercise.

She never felt like herself when she was bigger. Picture: Supplied

Over the next year, she continued her commitment to fit in some form of movement each day, and eventually started to count the calories she was consuming.

Samantha said she focused on the 80/20 rule, whereby she would consume nutritionally dense and calorie controlled healthy meals for most of the time.

The other 20 per cent of the time, she allows herself to indulge in whatever foods she wants to enjoy without tracking her calories.

“I fell in love with nature and being outside once lockdown hit, it became my daily habit,” Samantha said.

“This really helped me mentally, and of course also physically. I started to commit to moving my body like that every day.

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She can now fit into the clothes she wants. Picture: Supplied

“It helped so much to get me into the mindset of just being more aware of my health. I then turned to food, and became mindful of what I was eating.

“I started tracking my calories in an app, and that is when the majority of my weight started coming off.

“It’s a really helpful tool. I now live by the 80/20 rule, and I think it is so important to not be so strict on yourself 24/7, as you still have to live your life

“There are no good or bad foods. It is all nourishment, and you can incorporate everything you want to eat in moderation.”

After high school, Samantha found out she suffered from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which is a common hormonal condition that can cause disruptions to the menstrual cycle, skin and hair changes, cysts on the ovaries and infertility.

She was 110kg and a size 22 at her biggest. Picture: Supplied

She has focused on strength training to help build muscle. Picture: Supplied

PCOS is also known to make it extremely hard, although not impossible, to lose weight.

Samantha also suffers from a joint condition called Osteochondritis Dissecans which affected the mobility of her ankle for a long time, but thankfully she was able to overcome it and get back into exercise after two major surgeries.

She currently works out four times a week, spending two days focusing on upper body and the other days on lower body.

Samantha also ensures she reaches her daily step count, in order to get some cardio in.

“I’m really proud of everything I’ve overcome to lose the weight and get healthy,” she said.

She always used to see exercise and healthy eating as a "chore". Picture: Supplied

She advises anyone starting a health journey to just go slow. Picture: Supplied

“I look in the mirror and can’t believe it’s me. But I feel incredible, even just getting out of bed in the morning I feel so much lighter.

“When I go to work as a nurse, I feel like I have so much more energy. Being in the medical field has given me that perspective and appreciation for my own health.

“I’ll always work out before my shifts, so if that means being in the gym at 4am I’ll do it.”

Now she is sharing her story to help inspire and motivate others who might be on the same path.

Samantha has also taken to TikTok and Instagram to connect with others who are on their own health journeys.

Samantha never wanted to go clothes shopping when she was bigger. Picture: Supplied

She feels like a new person. Picture: Supplied

Her words of advice to anyone looking to change their lives are simple: go slow.

“The biggest thing I can say is to just take the pressure off,” she said.

“People are so hard on themselves, and want to change everything all at once.

“You have to take it very slow. There are no quick fixes, things take time and you just have to go through it.

“It is also so important to love yourself first. You can’t embark on a health or transformation journey that is inspired by self-hate, it will never work.

“Self-love and kindness is what helped get me through, and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like a new person, both inside and out.”

Originally published as Nurse shows off stunning weight loss transformation