Five years with The Healthy Mummy and Bernie says “I am feeling happier and healthier”

Bernie Fanning is now 32, and has managed to maintain an impressive 22kg weight loss, and drop 4 dress sizes in nearly five years with the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

I started at a size 18 and currently a size 10. I was 82 kilos and now weigh 60 kilos thanks to The Healthy Mummy.

The beautiful mum reveals due to her mental health decline, she put on 20kg in a couple of months and then again while suffering with gestational diabetes with her daughter.

Bernie started her Healthy Mummy journey in 2019 when she was just 27 after looking in the mirror and not recognising who the sad overweight lady was staring back at her.

“July 2019 I thought enough is enough. I started to workout with the Healthy Mummy app, I learnt what a calorie was and how to be in a calorie deficit. December 2023 I am still here!”

Mum loses 22kg and overcomes her mental health issues

The very first photo below was taken back in July 2019 verse now November 2023.

Over 4 and a half years since I started the Healthy Mummy. I was 27 and now I just turned 32. Age is just a number.

“I am feeling happier and healthier. What I’ve learnt is that my weight will go up and down. My iron levels have been hard to find maintenance with. But I never give up.“

• I am feeling happier and healthier
• More energy
• More knowledge of food
• Mentally and physically stronger

Bernie admits her clothes were so tight and her energy levels were non existent before The Healthy Mummy.

“I struggled going to work and playing with my daughter. I was never overweight when I was younger,” she says.

“After my daughter was born she was diagnosed with a chromosome deletion, which experts believed could be causing her developmental delay.

“I was a member from of the Healthy Mummy for a few years become I committed to it fully. I would look at ladies stories wishing it was me.  My daughter deserves a mum who wants to live a healthy lifestyle.”

Now, Bernie’s daughter helps her in the kitchen and she also loves all the yummy healthy food from The Healthy Mummy app.

“Skylah also loves getting into the workout room with me and especially loves box jumps, skipping and small hand weights,” she says.

How Bernie is maintaining her 22kg weight loss

Even though Bernie has reached her weight loss goal, she still uses the Healthy Mummy App to maintain her weight and health which she’s successfully managed for nearly five years.

“I love the Healthy Mummy App that includes food recipes which I love because I lacked the knowledge of how to cook and even better it teaches me about portions and healthier ingredients.”

“I love how in the app it also focuses on your mental health. There is a section called well-being and it includes the mindpower section that is like an online councillor.”

Bernie reveals that changes to her mental health since joining the Healthy mummy has been the most significant change.

“My mental health is my biggest accomplishment I still have days where I feel sad, and I still have the urge to binge/emotional ear but the difference is I have better coping mechanisms.”

She’s also found that her physical health has also improved which has made her job as a full time aged care worker easier as she has more energy.

“I now have more energy to play with my daughter too and to enjoy an active lifestyle.”

“My biggest tip to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume and use the BMR calculator to workout your daily recommended calories,” she says.

“If you are feeling down or overwhelmed, go see your local GP for a mental health care plan in place.

“They may suggest therapy or medication. The Healthy Mummy app also has great tools to help with mental health, such as the meditations and the mind power tools.”

What Bernie eats in a day

Breakfast: I have porridge, overnight oats, seed and berry yoghurt bowl or berry crunch breakfast parfait from the app.
Morning tea: I’ve been having the coffee protein shake on the go at work.
Lunch: I have a Healthy mummy smoothie, or a chicken sandwich. Some days I have a freezer stash meal that I make in bulk. They include easy fried rice, potato and pumpkin soup, beef and mushroom Mac and cheese are my current favourites.
Afternoon tea: I have a snack like a small tin of tuna, baked beans or yoghurt.
Dinner: I eat a balanced meal of meat like lamb, chicken, beef or fish with carbs like mashed potato or pasta then I always have my veggies. My favourite veggies are zucchini, broccoli and brussel sprouts.
Dessert: my favourite is the panna cotta from the Healthy Mummy app.

Bernie also incorporated Healthy Mummy Smoothies and Protein powder as part of her weight loss and has continued to use them as part of her weight maintenance.

“My favourite smoothies are the premium vanilla, banana sundae, espresso and double choc. My favourite protein shake is the coffee. I’ve been packing a coffee protein shake daily at work and fill it up with water and ice and put it in my esky and it’s like an iced coffee on the go packed with protein. I find it gives me more energy to get through the day at work.”

Bernie’s Favourite workouts

“My favourite workouts are the take 10 workouts, box jumps and boxing. I aim to workout 4 days a week for 15-30 minutes.”

“I aim for 10,000 steps Monday to Friday. Even on days I may not do a workout I try and aim for 30 active minutes this could include house work or playing out with Skylah.”

Bernie’s TIPS for success

1. My biggest tip is to burn more calories then you consume. I used the Healthy Mummy BMR calculator to workout my daily recommended calories. Also we need to remember we burn calories even in our sleep. We burn calories all day long not just from a workout.
2. Another tip is to work on your mental health as it’s just as important if not more important then losing the weight.
3. It’s a great idea to take lots of photos and measurements as well as pairing this with the scales. Once you lose the weight the scales become less relevant as they may go up when you build more muscle. This is why I also use a body scan which gives me a whole picture on what’s going on like my body fat percentage and visceral fat.

Bernie, you’re an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your amazing success story with us!

If you feel depressed or are suffering from depression and or anxiety, we advise you to seek help from your GP or call Lifeline 13 11 14, Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia [PANDA] 1300 726 306 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36.

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