AN OBESE foodie has lost half her body weight in 11 months – and she’s now so slim that both her and her boyfriend can fit into her old jeans.
Josephine Desgrand, 17, from Queensland, Australia, tipped the scales at 19st 3lbs and was a UK size 20 to 22. She blamed large portion sizes and a lack of exercise on her expanding waist.
Tired of the severe bullying she received about her looks, the high school graduate decided to cut out sugar from her diet and reduce her carbohydrate intake.
Her new way of living helped her slim to 9st 6Ibs and UK size eight to 10. She can now fit into her old jeans with her boyfriend, Morgan Pascoe, 19.
Josephine said: “I’m a huge foodie. My portions were huge, and I used to eat so fast. Mum always used to tell me to slow down with my eating as I’d always be the first finished. I was also never interested in sport and would avoid it at all costs.
“I have an amazing family and we’ve had some wonderful experiences, but I was so unhappy with my weight. I would avoid clothes shopping as I would have to go into the older stores like Millers, which made me so depressed.
“I remember finding skinny jeans that actually fit me. I tried them on and felt fantastic, until I saw a photo of me in them. I wanted so badly to lose weight, I just didn’t do anything about it.”
Josephine “went through cycles” of trying to change her looks, adding: “Then one day, I stopped thinking about it and just did it. It sounds so easy. I googled so many transformations; I researched how I was going to do it.
“I was prepared, I wanted it so badly, and now I was waiting for the ‘lightbulb’ moment when I wake up and want to go for a run, or I wake up and don’t have any sugar cravings.
“I would look at my friends and be so envious of what they were wearing and what they could do. I used to worry about things like not fitting in seats and having to ask for seatbelt extenders.”
After realising that her motivation would never come, she decided to transform her life forever.
She said: “I cut sugar completely and reduced my carb intake. Sugar was the main thing. I tried many diets beforehand, but I never stuck to them. I did some research into sugar and was shocked at the amount of sugar I used to consume; it seemed to be in everything.
“Making the decision to cut it out of my diet was the best decision of my life. It was very difficult at first; the first two weeks were so hard, but pure determination saw me through. Then it became a habit.
“I read an article the other day that said sugar is as addictive as drugs. That’s crazy, but I completely believe it.
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“It has completely changed my life; I no longer hide, I have so much more confidence. I played a lead role in a high school musical last year, which is something I never would have done before, as I was so shy and embarrassed about my weight.
“I can walk into any shop of my choice and buy clothes that I love. The energy I have now is incredible. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and just smile.”
After finding the Joe Wicks, AKA the Body Coach, on Facebook, Josephine started working out two to three times a week for 20 minutes each day.
She now eats smaller portions of food like eggs for breakfast, chicken salad, quiche, sweet potato, steak for lunch and dinner.
“The hardest thing was my sugar addiction. Making it through those first few weeks was painful; I was grumpy, I was tired, and I wasn’t fun to be around at all,” she said.
“I avoided going out with friends, I stayed at home and sulked. Then day-by-day it became easier, it became a habit.
“The support has been incredible. I’m still blown away by the encouragement I receive. I’ve had people from all over the world share their journeys with me.
“A lady sent through her transformation photos last week; she has lost four-stone 10 pounds since reading my story and talking to me, which is incredible.
“My advice is to just do it. Start. Stop putting it off. Imagine yourself months from now. It’s certainly not an easy journey, but it’s well worth it. If I can do it, anyone can.”
The Body Coach is on Tuesday 13 February at 8pm on C4 - The Instagram star attempts to transform a group of regular people in 90 daysncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jp%2BYm62cpMK0e5RwbGpvaGt8sK7ErJxmaWmowW7AxJ6lZquYmrG0eceao59lmJq%2Fbq7OnbBmr5WetKnAjKKlZqKlqMFufZBmpKimpJ3Abq3NnWSsoJViubC7yqxkrqaimrCws82iqpqanJp8