2. Henry Crause

Age: 33
Home Town: Despatch
Height: 1.6m
Occupation: Professional Nurse – Life St George’s Hospital
Time Required: 2.5 months
Then: 98.7kg
Now: 69.5kg

THE WAKE-UP

My sensei noticed I was overweight. I was participating in our national championships and felt very out of breath. After my kumite (fighting), he told me straight that I was too fat, and that I wouldn’t get any further unless I was willing to slim down.

I had succumbed to working life, which is different to being at school: you don’t have time to be active with your friends, and when you’re on the go, it’s easier to grab a quick bite at a fast-food restaurant.

THE SHAKE-UP

I followed a strict diet, carefully monitoring my kilojoule intake. I took up CrossFit in the mornings, and at night I started walking five kilometres – in Crocs! When my weight began to drop and I felt stronger, I bought some running shoes and started jogging. Soon, I could run five kilometres with ease, and began gradually upping my distance to 10 kilometres.

Watching my family eat whatever they wanted, while I had to watch what I ate, took tremendous willpower. Finding the time to exercise between work and my personal life was also difficult. There were some people who doubted I would be able to keep the weight off; they said I would return to my old habits.

THE REWARD

I joined an athletics club in Despatch, and achieved a time of 1:49 at my first half marathon. By committing to my weight-loss – despite temptation, and the fact that others doubted me – I’ve learned that the mind is powerful enough to help you achieve anything. My rewards might sound silly to some; but to be able to wear smaller clothes, and have people hardly recognise the new me, is just the best!

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