YOU GOT THIS: Woman proves expert wrong amid 21kg shred

Lauren Bull was told weight loss medication was her only choice after being diagnosed with various conditions — but she refused to take that advice.

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Lauren Bull was told she wouldn’t be able to lose weight without the help of injectable weight loss medication after being diagnosed with various thyroid conditions.

However, it wasn’t something she was willing to try.

The 28-year-old from Victoria, was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, hypothyroidism and polycystic ovarian syndrome in 2019.

For years, these conditions made her suffer, with large and quick weight fluctuations, depression and anxiety.

She also struggled to maintain a balanced diet, often overindulging in sweets and fast foods.

“I would basically eat anything and everything. My partner and I became addicted to gelato and it wasn’t unusual for us to go through a couple of tubs of this a week,” Lauren told news.com.au.

Lauren Bull, 28, from Victoria, was told she wouldn’t be able to lose weight without weight loss medication after being diagnosed with various thyroid conditions.

In 2019, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease (an auto-immune disorder affecting the thyroid gland), hypothyroidism (abnormally low activity of the thyroid gland) and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

“When I got above 80 kilos I realised something needed to change. I felt ashamed and I was so disappointed in myself for letting it get this bad.”

Lauren said on top of her diagnosis, she had a knee injury which was preventing her from running, adding that it had a severe impact on her mental health.

“My endocrinologist told me I wouldn’t be able to lose weight without the assistance of weight loss medication,” she said.

The conditions made her suffer large and quick weight fluctuation, depression and anxiety.

“I thought it sounded a bit ridiculous and I wasn’t willing to pump myself full of injections.”

Instead, she decided to take matters into her own hands and signed up to Lite n’ Easy where she went on to lose 21kg in four months.

“I proved her wrong in the end — that was the turning point for me as I was determined to do it naturally myself.”

Lauren said the biggest challenge during her journey has been “keeping the weight off.

“Over the past six years, I have lost over 10kgs five times and put it back on plus some. With Lite n’ Easy I lost 21kgs but I put 8kgs back on when I came off the program.

“I find it really challenging to keep the weight off and it’s still something I’m working on to this day.”

Lauren (pictured with her partner) went on to lose 21kg in four months after signing up to Lite n’ Easy.

She said she felt ‘instantaneously better’ once she joined the program, adding she had more energy and was ‘extremely’ motivated.

Despite this, Lauren said she still feels “amazing” and felt “instantaneously better” once she joined the program.

“I had more energy, I was extremely motivated and once the weight started falling off I felt confident in my own skin again,” she said, adding the symptoms she once dealt with are now a thing of the past.

“I got into walking during lockdown and just like the gelato, became addicted to my daily exercise.

Lauren focused on eating a balanced diet, while also incorporating cardio and weights into her routine.

“I would walk for hours and hours a day while I wasn’t working.”

Lauren said she did over 260kms in a month and trained in her home gym, which her partner help to set up.

“I did weights and cardio together and once I had lost enough weight for the stress to be taken off my joints, I got back into running as well,” she added.

Lauren said she now ‘feels great’. She was told she wouldn’t be able to lose weight without the assistance of injectable weight loss medication after being diagnosed with a thyroid condition.

When it comes to nutrition, Lauren said it was all about “light” balanced meals, which also helped her from feeling constantly lethargic.

“My favourite food of all is seafood — anything from the ocean.”

Lauren said “like anyone” there’s “always something” she would like to change about her body, but she doesn’t often go by how she looks.

“It’s more about how I feel and at the moment, I feel great,” she said.

“I’m sure there are thousands of women out there that have received a similar diagnosis and feel stuck, like I did.

“I am living proof that it is possible to pull yourself out of this rut and make positive changes to live a healthier life.”

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