The happy couple today. Photo / Lite n' Easy
The moment Simone Daglis unveiled her new look at her daughter's wedding, her own mother didn't even recognise her.
The 53-year-old from The Ponds, NSW, weighed 126kg, but in 12 months she managed to lose a whopping 55kg.
"The first time anyone said that I was unrecognisable was my own mother," Daglis told news.com.au.
"On the day of my daughter's wedding, when the priest escorted me to my seat near my mother, her exact words were, 'I didn't even know it was you'."
Since then, the mother of two has left family and friends in shock, saying they often have to do a double take.
"When I am at family functions and I go up and say hello, they have a blank look on their face and it's usually someone standing next to them who has seen me lately, that tells them who I am," she said.
"Now that I have become more social, people that I meet and haven't seen me for some time have said that I look amazing and always ask how I did it."
Daglis and her husband George, 57, embarked on their transformation journey three years ago.
Not only was their daughter getting married in September 2018, but George, who lost 20kg, had a medical condition.
"The doctor advised him that he needed to loss weight," Daglis said. "I was overweight too. I didn't have a check but I was sure if I did, it wouldn't have been in my favour."
Daglis said while they ate three home-cooked meals a day, it was their portion sizes that let them down.
"I wasn't one that ate cakes or lollies, but if it was given to me, I would eat them or if I passed a shop I'll go in and buy to take home," Daglis explained.
"And because we didn't exercise, the food wasn't worked off but stored as fat, hence the weight gain."
Daglis said because of her weight, she struggled to find clothes that fit.
"I wasn't motivated to go out and exercise in any way. It was getting harder to find clothes that fit," she said.
"I was wearing size 22-26 and the clothes weren't flattering."
However, since joining Lite n' Easy, the pair went on to lose a combined total of 75kg, with Daglis saying she was able to reach her ideal goal of 65kg by simply adjusting her calorie target.
"I went on Google as soon as we got home from my husband's doctor appointment that day and searched weight-loss programmes," Daglis said.
"Lite n' Easy came up. I knew of them and saw the ads. I went and ordered the 1200-calorie menu and my husband 1500-calorie."
It was delivered the following week – and the rest is history.
But it wasn't the only reason behind her new lifestyle change.
Daglis said she has since discovered a new found love for exercise, which has helped in her transformation journey.
"I am fortunate to live in an area that has many walk tracks, lakes, ovals and parks, which is what motivates me," she explained.
"We started off walking around our local oval and slowly increased the time as we got fitter. "We now walk every evening, early mornings on the weekends, for at least 7km per night/morning."
Three years on and the pair have continued to keep the weight off.
"Even though I have reached the weight I wanted to be, it has come part of our lives now," Daglis said, adding that she has never felt better.
"I see a 65kg woman, half her size, who has achieved what she set out to do – lose weight to look good for her daughter's wedding."
New York Times: Exercise is crucial for preventing and treating insulin resistance.