Shayna shares her inspirational 56kg weight loss journey

Meet the inspirational Toowoomba mother of two who decided to turn her life around after tragically losing her younger sister and having a near-death experience.

GRIEF AND LOSS: Toowoomba Shayna Fernando has been on an epic health journey, shedding an incredible 56 kilograms since losing her little sister to suicide and having a near-death experience herself. Picture: Nev Madsen

When Shayna Fernando heard her doctors utter the heart stopping words “on paper you should have been dead,” the young mother of two knew she had to make a big change to her health and lifestyle – and this time it would be for good.

The former art and Chinese high school teacher said she’d always been overweight growing up, tipping the scales at 64 kilograms in Year 4, first pushing herself to shed an incredible 60 kilograms before she fell pregnant with her son Ollie just over four years ago.

Toowoomba mother, Shayna Fernando has lost an incredible 56 kilograms in 18 months, but the health journey has not come without heart ache.

But the weight all came back on following the death of her little sister Jemma, who took her life at just 20 years old.

“My world was completely rocked, I couldn’t teach, I couldn’t sleep – I was destroyed with grief,” she said.

“Because I just lost the weight last time without making the big lifestyle changes, after Jemma’s death I quickly put it all back on again which became a serious problem when I suffered a major clot when I was 38 weeks pregnant with my daughter Lunar.”

Shayna Fernando said she was emotionally destroyed after losing her younger sister to suicide and consequently let her health go as she tried to cope with the grief.

After a lifesaving chopper ride to the Mater in Brisbane it was determined the clot had travelled through Ms Fernando’s lungs, liver and legs with experts quick to tell the young mum it was a medical miracle she was still alive.

“That’s when I realised how scary things had become, and I knew I had to make a change so that I could still be here for my children,” she said.

“I witnessed my own mother suffer a heart attack when I was 25 and I think it hit home just how close I came to having one myself.”

Shayna Fernando has shed an impressive 56 kilograms since joining Fernwood Fitness 18 months ago. Picture: Nev Madsen

The 32-year-old said she worked up the courage to walk through the doors of a gym for the first time 18 months ago and has managed to lose a staggering 56 kilograms at Fernwood Fitness, finding a family of women who had been behind her every step of the way.

“On my first day, I made my husband stay in the car outside the gym just in case I wanted to do a runner, but now I absolutely love coming here,” she said.

“The Fernwood family have become my second family.”

Shayna Fernando has gone from 153 to 97 kilograms after 18 months of hard work and determination. Picture: Nev Madsen

To compliment her momentous journey, Ms Fernando also raised $2000 for Lifeline’s suicide prevention programs by shaving her hair off.

“I used to have really thick curly hair but after losing Jemma it became so lifeless and dull, someone told me that hair holds our memories so I decided I wanted my hair to reflect the massive transformation I was going through too,” she said.

Shayna Fernando has shed an incredible 56 kilograms following the loss of her younger sister, Jemma to suicide. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“I’ve gone from 153 kilograms to 97 and I’m still working hard to get down to my goal weight and stay there, but I’m just so proud of myself for taking those first steps through the Fernwood doors.

“I feel like I’ve taken my life into my own hands and I’m finally living it to the fullest.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health Lifeline on 13 11 14.