IT'S been almost three years since Queanbeyan mother-of-three Cathy Tabner began her weight loss journey. Having already shed an impressive 40 kilograms, she thinks if she can lose another five she'll have finally conquered her goal.
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Cathy weighed 107 kilograms at her heaviest. She says back then she felt sad and depressed.
"I guess I just never lost the baby weight after having my three children and then I put on more after that," she said.
"My lifestyle was pretty unhealthy. I was anaemic. Yeah, it bothered me. I had knee problems, I think it was from the extra weight."
Cathy's neighbour was studying personal training a few years ago and provided the 42-year-old with the catalyst she needed to change her habits and her life.
"She made me get motivated and get help. She was studying personal training and needed someone to practise on," she said.
"She introduced me to Alive Health and Fitness. I just started the classes here - ride and boxing. I was really motivated, I wanted to lose 10 kilos."
Eventually Cathy's neighbour moved away but had provided her with enough of a start to continue losing weight.
"Just seeing the results kept me going. Once I lost ten kilos, I wanted to lose more," she said.
"It took a long time but people started to notice the changes. They said I was looking good and that kept me motivated to do more. People would say 'wow you look good', when I hear that I feel proud and embarrassed, I'm shy'."
Cathy employed personal trainer Callum Birtles to help keep her on track and she's been with him for the last two years.
"I don't think I could've done it without a personal trainer," she said.
"They provide lots of motivation and support. It wouldn't be the same without Callum, I probably wouldn't come to the gym as much without him."
Callum said the advantage of having a personal trainer is they will help address all aspects of the process - a person's technique, cardio, weight, body fat percentage and diet.
"It's the whole process not just one part of it. Coming to gym is one part but if you get a good personal trainer they look at the whole thing and will help motivate you," he said.
"A lot of people probably stop and think 'oh, I can't do this anymore', it's too hard. I think that's where we come in, to tell people to keep going, you can't stop here.
"There was a point where Cathy wanted to stop a few times because she thought she reached that end point but I kept getting through to her, 'keep going, you can keep going further'.
"It's been a massive journey but we've got there."
Cathy struggled to run a lap of the oval when she first started trying to get fit. It's a world away from the woman who is now in training to tackle the Sydney City to Surf.
"There were days when it was hard. I'd get frustrated and want to eat bad food but with a lot of support from my friends, family and a personal trainer, I've been able to achieve what I have," she said.
"I'm much happier when I look in the mirror now."