Today’s story is focused on Regina, a mother of two in her 30s who decided to take charge of her life sometime last year. Speaking to Regina was such a booster for my mood and made me find a new kind of belief in the work that April Laugh is doing. She was a ball of energy, quick to share the ways her weight affected her emotions till the point of depression and how losing the weight gave her a new lease on life and a brand new car.
How did this journey start for you?
So weight loss has been a long process for me. I’ve been at it since my time in university and after my two children I decided to take it more seriously but all I met was failure. I tried so many things: slimming tea, intermittent fasting, harmful weight loss diets, and they all ended with me losing maybe 5 kg only to gain it back again. I had placed countless bets with my husband in a bid to encourage myself and that didn’t work too, he even paid for a whole year subscription for the gym and I never went once. It was a huge problem for me. One day, I was sick in bed and on Instagram when April Laugh popped up as an ad. I had a good laugh with my family members about the program because I didn’t believe it was possible to lose weight in that amount of time without some kind of supplement. My husband asked me to try it out and I refused but I decided to just follow the account. The next day I saw a video from your account, was intrigued and decided to book a consultation. That was the beginning of the new phase of my life.
So, at the beginning how did it feel?
It was so nerve racking at the beginning, I had to tell my coach that I wouldn’t start till the end of the month but she refused and told me to start even though I didn’t have all the equipment. At first I joined the live workouts but because of work I couldn’t meet up with them so I just used the recordings when I could. Slowly and steadily I started incorporating more changes to my routine: I started walking more and started eating breakfast which really helped me feel better.
What changes did you begin to notice?
I first of all noticed I wasn’t out of breath anymore. I could walk up and down stairs with no major issues. By my first weigh in I was down to 82 kg from 86 kg. This made me excited to increase my step goal and incorporate more fruits into my diet and by week 6 I was super proud of my progress. I even brought out a suitcase of clothes that didn’t size me and started trying them out and they fit perfectly! Once my mum video called me and was so shocked at the change and immediately wanted to join the program. Around the 8th week, I did another weigh in and didn’t notice weight loss and felt really discouraged but I realized that I was feeling better and that in itself was a win.
Speaking of setbacks, you had a few on your journey, care to share?
So, during the course of the program, my husband and I got into an accident that put me on bed rest for a while. I couldn’t work out, couldn’t even walk and it bothered me a lot because I had to take a break from everything. During that time I had to slowly regain my strength but soon enough I was back in the game. It was an eye opener for me because I know that if I had that accident a few months back when I was still quite unhealthy, recovery would have been way more difficult.
How has your family reacted to your new lifestyle?
They’ve been so excited for me. My husband has been my biggest supporter so he’s so happy for me. My daughter is always quick to talk about how much weight I’ve lost and even joins me in my workouts. My mum and my friend have joined the program because of how well it has worked for me. It’s been so encouraging to hear from all of them.
How would you compare your mental health then to now?
Oh I was definitely depressed before I started this program. I would spend a lot of time alone and I always avoided the mirror in my room because I didn’t like looking at my body. But now so many aspects of my life have such new energy, I’m happier and always excited to try new things. It has somehow transcended weight loss and just given me a new lease on life. I’ve started taking more pictures and my energy has remained at an all time high.
The most exciting part, tell us about the car your husband got you.
At the beginning of my 12 weeks with you my husband told me he would get me a car if I successfully lost some weight. This wasn’t the first time he was promising me something and I’m sure he didn’t expect me to be successful but then I was. By the time I was completing the program I didn’t even care about the car anymore but I would tease him with it till one day he called me to come out and check out something in my old car. I noticed the new car in the driveway but didn’t even register it, only for him to come up from behind the car and hand me the keys. I was so excited because I fully didn’t expect it. I love my husband so much because he never gave up on me and that’s one thing that kept me going.
What advice do you have for anyone thinking of coming on this journey?
Your health is priceless. The money you don’t want to spend on improving yourself now, you’ll spend more on avoidable expenses in the future so just do it now. Be consistent, the first two weeks will be difficult as hell but once you power through the next phase of your life will begin.
Regina was able to lose 23 kg over the course of her 12 weeks with me and she is one of the biggest preachers of this lifestyle change. She believes that everyone should be happy with their bodies and you can have your own story by starting today! I’ll be waiting for you.