An office worker whose weight rose amid a late-night binge eating habit has revealed how she dropped five dress sizes naturally in just 18 months.
Lauren Tukuafu, from NSW, lived on an unhealthy diet of junk and fried food, including her go-to chicken schnitzel and chips, and frequently overindulged in chocolate, cake and lollies.
Eventually, the size 22 woman noticed how even the simple things in her life began to spiral as she went from being a ‘vivacious’ person to feeling completely ‘unhappy’.
‘I got to my heaviest weight of 114.2kg by eating lots of junk food and big portions. I was relying on food to solve my problems,’ Lauren, now 38, told FEMAIL.
‘I was really restricted in my food choices due to a gluten intolerance but I would eat a ton of fried food like chicken schnitzels and chips. At night, I would binge eat chocolate, cakes and lollies.
‘It was a cycle of limited options and bad choices.’
When she could no longer recognise the woman staring back at her in the mirror, she knew it was time to overcome her unhealthy eating habits.
Lauren went on to lose 36.6kg while eating six times a day, crediting her size 12-14 frame to a higher protein, low-GI diet.
Lauren Tukuafu, who weighed 114.2kg at her heaviest, said a trip to Ireland inspired her to lose weight after she didn’t recognise herself when she looked at pictures of herself
Before her astonishing body transformation, she was struggling with her weight gain.
‘Life was depressing. I was not happy, especially with myself. I’m normally quite a vivacious person but this situation really wore me down,’ Lauren said.
‘I was so uncomfortable in photographs and at social events. I didn’t even want to go out in public because of my appearance.
‘In terms of my day-to-day diet, it was not healthy at all.’
Her turning point came after a series of small things gradually pushed her toward making the change.
‘First of all, I was struggling to fit into my regular clothes and was continuously having to buy larger and larger sizes,’ she explained.
‘Then it got to the point where I didn’t even want to look in the mirror. Finally, when I got back from a trip to Ireland and was looking through the photos, I didn’t even recognise myself. I knew at that moment I needed to make a change.’
She tried multiple diets to lose weight but they were always restrictive – especially challenging due to her gluten intolerance.
Lauren lost 36.6kg naturally while eating six times a day, crediting her size 12-14 frame to a higher protein, low GI diet
‘They were never sustainable for me and I’d end up putting the weight back on,’ she said.
Lauren discovered CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet after her mum randomly spotted the scientifically formulated weight loss program on TV.
‘My mother thought it would work for me because of the focus on eating appropriate portions across the food groups. I took a look and was attracted to the variety and amount of food you can eat,’ she explained.
Developed by scientists at Australia’s national science agency, the diet focuses on a higher protein, low GI meal plan that helps you drop the kilos by reducing cravings and keeping you feeling fuller for longer.
‘Prior to my weight loss journey, my biggest challenge was maintaining any weight loss. I was never addressing the underlying habits that were putting me in this unhealthy place,’ Lauren said.
‘Breaking the habit of late night binge eating was the biggest challenge. The CSIRO diet made it so much easier though as I was never hungry.
‘Also, my taste buds changed so my cravings shifted from junk food towards the healthy options in my meal plans.’
After 18 months of dedication, she shed a total of 36.6kg, going from 114.2kg to 77.6kg.
‘I made significant changes to my diet. I began eating the full variety of food groups, a lot more protein and surprisingly, a lot more food,’ Lauren said.
‘For example, for breakfast, I used to eat two Weet-Bix or a bowl of Sultana Bran. This got swapped out with scrambled eggs, mushrooms and seeded bread.’
When she could no longer recognise the woman staring back at her in the mirror, she knew it was time to overcome her unhealthy eating habits
To set herself up for a healthy week, Lauren said she prepares her protein every Sunday and freezes the leftovers to eat later.
Her healthy eating habits have helped her stay fuller for longer, a key factor in maintaining her weight loss over the past five years.
‘Eating three main meals and three snacks across the day meant that I was never hungry and wanting to binge late at night,’ she said.
‘I was able to look at food and realise I enjoyed the nutritious food more than I did with junk food. When I ate junk food, I remembered how it made me feel and look.’
However, Lauren said she doesn’t deprive herself of her favourite food.
‘I definitely allow myself to have one treat a day. That’s normally ice cream,’ she said.
‘Then once a week, I will make an extravagant dessert that I want to try. So that would usually be anything that involves chocolate. A big chocolate cake, or a nice slice with nuts and chocolate.
‘One of my favourite desserts is an old-fashioned apple slice with ice cream. I will also enjoy a drink with dinner when I go and meet friends.’
After 18 months of dedication, she shed a total of 36.6kg, going from 114.2kg to 77.6kg
Since her incredible weight loss, she’s been feeling happier and healthier than ever before
During the first 12 months of her weight loss journey, Lauren didn’t have a workout routine.
‘Most of the weight loss was due to diet alone,’ she said.
‘Exercise-wise, the real change came after the first year… After 12 months, I started incorporating walking into my daily routine – walking to and from work.
‘I love walking daily as that fits in with my schedule and I’ve recently incorporated a strength building routine to build some muscle.’
Since her remarkable weight loss, she has felt happier and healthier than ever.
‘My life has changed so much. I feel amazing and better about myself,’ she said.
‘I can actually look in the mirror now, I feel confident going out in public, and I finally love shopping again as the clothes fit me.
‘It took me some time to get to this point but I enjoy making beautiful memories and taking photographs because I can actually see the change.
‘The journey has been nothing short of transformative.’
