By Liana Jacob
MEET the former emotional eater and chocaholic who would snack on five fast food meals a week until one summer she decided to make a change after feeling horrible about her appearance and has since lost a whopping six-stone ten pounds in ten months.
Four years ago, customer service specialist, Isabelle Audette (20), from Montreal, Canada, and her mum got flooded and they lost everything, so when she graduated high school, she found a full-time job to support herself and her mum.
The following years, she would indulge her emotions in food, particularly fast food and being in a relationship where she felt content with who she was, she continued down this road. The five-foot-one financial representative’s peak weight reached 16st and a UK size 18.
One day while she was on holiday in Summer 2016, she was feeling terrible about the way she looked, and the reality of her unhealthy diet hit her. Making an extreme change by changing her diet and adding weights to her exercise, she dropped down to a svelte 9st 4Ibs and a UK size eight to 10.
“Gaining weight can be caused by a lot of factors. I was an emotional eater and I was in a relationship where I was way too comfortable with that person and led me to gain a huge amount of weight. I was eating everything whenever I wanted,” Isabelle said.
“I was raised by two amazing parents that thought me to disregard what other people think. But even with that, I felt horrible. I knew I had to take action, but I never had the motivation to do so.
“Summer 2016, I went to Spain and that’s when it all started. I remember being at the beach and feeling horrible about the way that I looked.
“As soon as the plane landed in Montreal, I said to myself that it was enough and that I was going to change.
“Losing weight is not easy. Eighty percent of the work is done in the kitchen and twenty percent in the gym.
“I lost most of the weight by eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. I started swimming almost every day for twenty-five to thirty minutes and I was seeing some amazing results.
“I see myself differently in the mirror, clothes fit perfectly now, and I am much more energised. I have more confidence and eating healthy is no longer a choice, but a lifestyle.
“I am extremely proud of what I have accomplished. I love the fact that I can motivate others through social media and show that yes, it is possible. If you have the right mindset and the motivation, anything is possible.
“I used to eat fast food almost five times a week. It was extremely unhealthy. Instead of drinking juice, I would drink water.
“When I was craving sugar, I would eat an apple or an orange. I think it’s really important to find a good balance and to listen to your body.”
Having a severe sweet tooth for anything chocolate-related made the process of losing weight extremely difficult for Isabelle, but she now insists that she enjoys dark chocolate more than the regular kind. Her new shape has received many compliments from those around her.
“They congratulate me because they know that it takes a lot of sacrifice; especially through social media. Some people still don’t believe my transformation and they say that it’s fake,” she said.
“It’s a part of life but the most important thing is that I know what I have accomplished and the hard work that came along with it.
“If you want to lose weight, the best advice I can give is to start making small changes. If you’re someone that eats fast food three times a week, start by cutting it to two times a week, then one time a week and eventually you won’t feel the need to go there anymore.
“I know it sounds weird but trust me; if you start your day with a good breakfast, you will more likely eat healthy the rest of the day.”
For more information visit: https://www.instagram.com/iisaxxo/
