- Ali Bruch, 32, used to consume up to 8000 calories a day
- At her heaviest, she weighed 125 kilos
- Now, after she learned how to lose weight without going to the gym, she’s slimmed down to 63 kilos
Here Ali tells her story in her own words.
Wolfing down a mammoth bowl of mac’n’cheese, I licked my lips.
That was really delicious, I thought.
But I was still hungry.
My daughter Myra, then two, dropped her fork.
‘All done, thanks Mummy!’ she said, before taking off to play with her toys.
Within seconds, I was polishing off her leftovers.
It was 2016 and, at just 24, my weight was climbing rapidly.
‘My hunger became insatiable.’
Growing up, I was always a chubby kid, and was often picked on by other children because of it.
‘There’s that pig girl!’ a boy once taunted me.
I was beside myself.
When I reached puberty and got taller, I slightly slimmed down, but the weight slowly crept back over the years.
After giving birth to Myra in July 2014 when I was 22, my hunger became insatiable.
For breakfast I’d head to a local cafe where I picked up freshly baked goods, such as cream-filled doughnuts or bagels, and washed it down with a large caramel latte.
Then I’d order takeaway for lunch, such as pizza and hamburgers, getting it delivered to the hair salon where I worked.
After I got home I’d snack on dips and crackers while I cooked huge portions of creamy pasta for dinner. I wouldn’t just stop at eating one bowl, though, often going back for second, third and even fourth helpings.
By the time I got to bed, I’d consumed up to 8000 calories each day.
When Myra was four months old, her dad and I split. And, by the time she learned to walk, my addiction to food was taking its toll on my body.
At 125 kilos, I had pain in my legs and feet every day at work while I cut and styled clients’ hair.
I also struggled to keep up with Myra.
‘Catch me, Mummy’ she’d plead, but I just didn’t have the energy.
‘I consoled myself with a bag of chips.’
One day in early 2016, I was at the beach with my best friend Katie, then 25, and Myra.
Katie snapped a photo of me in my denim shorts and top and I couldn’t believe how huge I looked.
I can’t go on living like this, I thought, ashamed.
Back home that evening though, I consoled myself with a bag of chips.
It wasn’t until my cousin Katheryn asked me to be her bridesmaid six months later, that the reality of my bad habits truly hit home.
Going dress shopping, I was excited to try on different gowns with the rest of the bridal party. But after one look at me, the assistant informed me I’d need to shop from the plus size section instead.
I was devastated.
Not wanting to be the odd one out, I bought a size 18 dress to match the other girls, and vowed to lose enough weight to fit into it by the wedding day, eight months away. It was risky, but I was determined for the mortifying experience to be the wake-up call I needed.
By ditching takeaways and sugar, weight slowly began to fall off. Incredibly, when her big day rolled around, I’d lost nine kilos, and was able to fit into the dress.
It spurred me on to keep going. Amping things up, I reduced the amount of processed carbs I ate and increased the lean protein and healthy fats in my diet.
I made delicious meals such as wraps using lettuce cups instead of bread, or a simple plate of chicken and vegies.
If I was hungry through the day, I’d have protein shakes to keep me full, or I’d snack on strawberries, hard boiled eggs and nuts.
By having smaller portions and not robbing myself of my favourite flavours, I was able to stick to my new way of eating, instead of falling off the bandwagon like I had so many times before.
Slowly but surely, the weight kept falling off.
‘I’d done it all without ever setting foot in a gym!’
‘You’re glowing!’ my clients would tell me. The compliments were a great source of encouragement.
Better still, I was able to keep up with Myra, who was fast on her feet. It was like I was finally enjoying motherhood properly.
After a year, I’d lost 36 kilos. And I’d done it all without ever setting foot in a gym! The only exercise I did was running around the salon all day.
When I fell pregnant again in September 2017, I adjusted my eating to make sure I was nourishing us both.
Naturally, I gained weight from the pregnancy, but after my beautiful boy, Mackston, was born in May 2018, I worked to get back on track.
‘I’m standing proud at 56 kilos.’
Despite being down to 63 kilos, I had some loose skin on my stomach, which made me feel self-conscious.
So using some savings, I booked myself in for a tummy tuck as well as a breast augmentation in September 2020.
I felt like a new woman!
Then in 2022, I found love with a man named Colin, then 22.
‘You look incredible,’ he said, after I showed him pictures of what I used to look like.
After joining the gym in December last year, I’ve now more than halved my weight, and I’m standing proud at 56 kilos.
But the best part is how much more energy I’ve got to run around with my kids, Myra, now 10, and Mackston, six.
‘I want to be strong like Mum!’ my gorgeous boy always says.
They inspire me to be the best version of myself every single day.