How a Sydney woman lost 23kg without setting foot in a gym

Getting fitter and healthier can often prove an expensive task.

From investing in gym memberships and equipment to choosing groceries that pack more of a nutritional punch – it's fair to say a lifestyle overhaul doesn't come cheap.

But one Sydney woman lost 23kg without breaking the bank, choosing not to pay for a gym and instead working out at home or in her local park.

Angel Bowyer, 22, weighed 73kg at her heaviest, telling news.com.au she had gained weight from her love of fast-food.

"My diet consisted of mostly fast food, pizza, KFC, Macca's and eating out. I don't think I ate anything green in two years," she said.

However, at the end of 2017 she decided to kick her junk food habit to the kerb when she realised she was "gaining weight by the day" and "wanted to be more confident" in her clothes.

While many people would have joined a gym to start completing workouts, Angel said she lacked the confidence to walk into one, so instead found an alternative.

"I started doing HIIT workouts which require no equipment at all," she told news.com.au

"It's all body weight. I was really shy and was so scared to join a gym and got super comfy with working out at home or at the park with friends."

The influencer – who has 104,000 followers on Instagram – said she slowly built up her workouts, using a bench in her backyard to help her exercise and buying a skipping rope.

"I started off slow with one workout a week and slowly built it to more frequent training sessions, getting to at least 5 times a week," she explained.

"I was also googling and reading magazine articles on no gym workouts and following them to create ones that suit me."

Angel said changing her diet was also a "huge part" of her transformation, ditching her takeout habit for more whole foods.

Now her typical day on a plate includes a chocolate protein shake with peanut butter for breakfast and a tuna salad for lunch. At dinner, Angel will have a protein like chicken or beef with vegetables.

By March 2019, Angel had lost 23kg and found the confidence to join a gym where she introduced weight training and gained 5kg – but she urges people not to be too focused on the numbers on the scale.

"When I first started weight training at the gym I gained 5kg within a month and I was so confused and upset, I felt like I was going backwards," she said.

"But I slowly realised that muscle weight is a thing."

Now Angel weighs approximately 55kg, taking her total weight loss to 18kg, and uses her social media platform to help others follow a healthy lifestyle.

As well as workout clips and photos, Angel shares snaps of herself enjoying burgers, pancakes and chocolate desserts, advising people to not give up everything they love as they won't be able to maintain it.

"Don't just go cold turkey on all things yummy, take it slow," she said.

"Start finding healthy alternatives for your favourite foods and start integrating them into your daily diet. It's all about baby steps."