The 55-year-old Julie Backhaus was completely disgusted with success until a tough awakening phone challenged her to change her lifestyle and lose weight. Through a healthy diet and a new love for workouts, Julie has become her healthiest version and is still on the fitness train. She told Express.co.uk how to do it.
She started as follows: “I started my fitness trip after seeing the pictures of a very bad holiday in 2016. I was very sick and after recovering it was about 25 stones.”
Julie knew she had to do “something”, but what?
She started training immediately when a friend suggested doing a local 5k Race for Life.
She already felt happy and healthy, so she decided to change her diet “completely”.
Julie admitted that she “found a fitness bug,” and now weighs an impressive 13 stones and 5 pounds, almost half her previous weight.
And her extraordinary fitness advances haven’t been overlooked. “I ran my first marathon on a treadmill last September and did a lot of running challenges during the blockade.”
The NHS reported that when the pandemic struck the UK in March 2020, the number of downloads for the Couch to 5k app surged. This is a 92% increase compared to 2019. “
Besides exercising often, Julie can change her diet better and enjoy carbs, while paying much more attention to what she eats.
She states: “I have a rigorous yet simple partial-controlled weekly vegetarian diet plan consisting of lots of vegetables, quarn products, potatoes or pasta.”
And her husband, “a talented cook who can cook great dishes from simple ingredients,” is at hand during Julie’s ongoing weight loss journey.
Julie makes her own vegetable soup so she doesn’t reach for unhealthy treats.
“It really helps when I want a treat. It was such a problem during the blockade.
“On a day of heavy training, I have a protein drink and extra fruit pieces.”
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On her journey to become healthier and more knowledgeable about health, Julie discovered some nutritional secrets.
She attributed the increase in energy to “eating a healthy, simple and balanced diet.”
She also found supplements that helped her reach her fitness goals. “I’m using New Zealand’s Blackcurrant Supplement-CurraNZ. I swear to them because it helps my muscles recover. I used to suffer badly with DOMS, but I haven’t had any more problems since taking it. They help me train more often. I couldn’t manage without them now. “
She is still on a weight loss journey, so Julie is careful not to go outboard when treating herself.
She explained: “I’m still paying attention to what I eat because I have two more stones to lose. After doing so, people tend to reward themselves with high-calorie snacks that can undo all the hard work. “
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Instead, Julie eats a “normal meal” after a run and reserves her treat on Sundays, usually for “diet-free days” with running races.
“I always have a big mug of cake and hot chocolate.”
Her number one tip for others on their weight loss journey is to win the race slowly and steadily.
“I think a health and fitness journey is a long-term program. Quickfixes, trendy diets, and low-calorie diets are unhealthy and completely unsustainable. Diets are simple and easy to make into your life. Must be fit, and it’s slow to handle.
“Be patient, reward your achievements with something other than food, and find an exercise therapy you like.”
