Wendy Candlish, 40, from Canberra, said she faced health problems after hitting 103kg. Photo / Supplied
"Growing up, I would restrict myself by eating as little or as light as I could. Avoiding fats and carbs. If I ever ate out I would lose control and spiral into days or weeks of binge eating and as I got older that included binge drinking," Wendy said.
She said the foods she chose to eat were prepackaged, frozen and diet-specific marketed products, adding she was "looking for quick fixes and trying every fad diet under the sun". Photo / Supplied
"I would use particular foods as a punishment, eat for emotional comfort and at times use food as a reward.
"I had an all or nothing attitude and never considered the impacts of what I was doing was making to my health."
Wendy said when she was pregnant with all four of her children, she took the "eating for two literal".
"After multiple pregnancies, that's when the kilos really started to pile on and I hit my heaviest weight," she said.
"Each pregnancy was harder than the previous and my final pregnancy was fraught with multiple health issues."
The yoyo dieter said it wasn't until she was pregnant with her youngest and "you couldn't really tell I was pregnant", that it all hit home.
"Her birth and that picture combined was the moment I realised I needed to change. I realised at that moment how could I possibly teach my children to be the very best versions of themselves and tell them that they can do whatever they dream of doing if I wasn't doing it myself."
At the start of 2019, Wendy signed up to her local gym, using its nursery and group fitness classes.
"I hired a personal trainer and together we focused on nutrition and exercise. I soon discovered I really enjoyed lifting weights and for the first time I actually started to see changes in my body," the 40-year-old said.
At the end of that year, she decided to start training for the WBFF (World Beauty Fitness & Fashion) Sydney show and set her sights on participating in the Transformation Division.
The division celebrates those who are still on a journey to a healthier lifestyle, shining a light on their story.
The Canberra mum teamed up with Alicia Gowans of Ally's Angels and Alphas, who is a sports nutritionist and three-time WBFF champion.
"Together we unwrapped years of mental self-abuse, self-neglect and opened doors I thought I had shut forever," Wendy said.
In 2019, she joined her local gym and hired a coach focusing on nutrition and exercise. It was in this moment she discovered her passion for weights. Photo / Supplied
"I learnt more about myself in those first few months than I ever had. I finally understood what barriers I faced, what lies I told myself and what truly needed to change in order for me to become the best version of myself.
"We worked hard on increasing my maintenance calories and removing misconceptions I had in regards to particular foods. Turns out bread, pasta and fruit was never my enemy."
Wendy said feels more herself than she ever has in her entire life. Photo / Supplied
Wendy said it was no longer just about losing weight.
"I wanted to improve my health, become a role model for my children," she said.
Wendy will be taking to the stage on April 9 in the Gold Coast after the show was pushed back due to the pandemic.
"Deciding to embark on the journey to the stage has given me a passion I never knew existed, the same passion I used to say, 'enough's, enough', the same passion I give to being the best mum to my four children."
Wendy went from barely moving her body to now walking between 10,000 to 12,000 steps each day and running around with her kids.
"I do four weight-based workouts combining both upper and lower body exercises. I prioritise sleep and focus more on my overall wellness," she said.
"My husband has also transformed his health by learning from my example and mealtime with the kids is a breeze."
Wendy said: "The woman who stands before you today is a woman who is proud of who she has become."
