This mum with arthritis has lost 15kg and is finally pain free

Jessica McAllan is a 30-year-old mum-of-two from Brisbane who suffers from arthritis.

Amazingly, she was able to lose 15kg by following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and now she says she’s no longer suffering the pain from her arthritis.

It’s taken Jessica six months to lose the weight but she’s feeling fantastic.

How losing weight helped Jessica no longer suffer the pain from arthritis

Jessica decided she needed to make a change when her size 18 clothes were getting tight and she didn’t want to reach for a size 20, she made the change and now feels great.

“The defining moment for me was the fact that size 18 was getting too tight. I refused to move up to a size 20 and I didn’t want my children thinking my unhealthy relationship with food was okay,” she says.

“I was absolutely miserable with myself and would always hide myself when it came time for photos. One day I decided I didn’t want to feel this way anymore so I’ve been putting in the effort for myself everyday since.”

After making this decision Jessica has seen the change in her body and felt amazing. Incredibly, the pain from Jessica’s arthritis has also massively reduced as well.

“I have arthritis in my knees that usually give me a lot of pain but since losing weight, I haven’t felt pain in a long time,” she says.

The great thing about the weight loss helping Jessica with her arthritis pain is that she can continue to put off a knee reconstruction for longer.

“The arthritis is a sporting injury that I’ve had since I was a teenager playing netball. I’ve been told to try to remain off having a knee reconstruction as long as I can.”

“When I hold more weight, it really strains my knees a lot more. To the point where it’s so painful to walk or I can’t straighten my legs.”

“Since losing weight, it’s taken so much pressure off my knees and I haven’t had pain at all this year. It’s the longest time that I have been pain free in years.”

What’s more, Jessica used to have stomach issues and feel bloated but now she doesn’t have those problems anymore.

“I feel amazing and have a lot more energy and confidence than I have ever had before,” she says.

“I now love to exercise and get outdoors with the family. Going on hikes would always consist of a lot of complaining on my part and falling miles behind everyone else.”

Not only does she have new found love of exercise but she was actually ahead of her family during their last hike.

“The last time I went on a hike, I was the one miles in front of everyone and telling the kids to hurry up.”

Jessica’s favourite Healthy Mummy meals

Jessica says she’s now sitting around a size 12-14 and feels amazing.

Her favourite meals are:

• Stovetop Lasagne
• Biscoff Overnight Weet-Bix
• Spanish Chorizo Rice
• Orange and Poppy Seed Muffins

You can find all these recipes and many more just as delicious in The Healthy Mummy app.

“I have a personal trainer that I see once a week and I train on my own four days a week,” she says.

“My favourite workouts are weight lifting, dancing and boxing. I get up at 3:30am 5 days a week to get my exercise done before starting work.”

Jessica’s 3 tips for success:

1. Make exercise a priority at least three days a week with a time that suits your life schedule. 3:30am may work for me but not you. I made too many excuses of a night time to exercise so I had to change it up.
2. Start by cutting out 1-2 unhealthy habits. Not everything at once. This way your body reacts well with the change and you are more likely to stay of track.
3. Get your family included into your weight loss journey. Have that support to help you. Some days I do struggle to keep going and my husband pushes me on those days. Having someone to cheer you on really helps keep you motivated.

Outside of these three tips Jessica also offers this advice for those just starting out on their weight loss journey:

“My advice is don’t wait till Monday, start today. Implement one change to your diet to get started so you’re not overwhelmed,” she says.

“I save money using The Healthy Mummy which is also a great reason why I started with this company. I also buy the food we have all the time in bulk as it’s cheaper in the long run. If it’s half price, I buy a few to put away.”

“I’ve also started opting for vegetarian nights 1-2 nights a week as the cost of meat goes up. There are some great recipes in the app for this.”

“I’d say we save about $50-$100 a week since starting with The Healthy Mummy. The meals are easy, less ingredients and I make meals that have similar ingredients to save money.”

What Jessica eats on a typical day

Breakfast: Healthy Mummy smoothie with added banana, berries, super greens, protein powder, smoothie boosters & coconut water.

Morning tea: Latte lactose free, Overnight Biscoff Weet-Bix or guacamole with veggie sticks.

Lunch: Salad, soup or smoothie.

Afternoon tea: Fruit, yoghurt or muffin

Dinner: Meat and veggies, rice or pasta.

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Are you ready to kick-start your weight loss?

Want to shift your weight but feel like you have NO TIME in your day to exercise and eat healthily?

That’s where the Healthy Mummy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge can help.

What do you get? You get access to:

• 28 days of at-home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
• Customisable and breastfeeding-friendly meal plans
• Time-efficient exercises for busy mums – under 30 mins
• Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
• Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels.
• Home to thousands of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes.

Find out more about joining the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.