Meet Elly, wife, mother of 4, Zumba instructor & weight loss surgery patient
“Becoming an swimwear model was a journey that I never thought I would take.”
Living in Brisbane, I was a stay-at-home mum to 4 wonderful children. Over the years my weight crept up on me. I’d tried all types of diets & fads but nothing seemed to work. I took up Zumba classes which I loved and became a licensed instructor, but I didn’t feel I was fit or confident enough to lead a class. By the time I was 37 I was 125kg and I made the decision to have weight loss surgery.
“Like most women we put everything else first, often forgetting to take care of ourselves”.
I received a gastric sleeve, a surgery where 80% of my stomach was removed. Recovery was quick and I was back at Zumba 6 weeks post-surgery with a 10kg weight loss. Since then I have lost over 40kgs, but it’s not the physical change that has made the biggest difference to me, it’s the mental one.
“It wasn’t just a physical change – there was a mental shift and something within my heart I hadn’t expected.”
As my confidence grew, I started teaching Zumba. It felt amazing helping people to get fit through dance. I became a Tupperware consultant & when I saw an ad on Facebook looking for swimwear models, I could resist… I’ll be honest, I was so nervous! I was greeted by Tanya who quickly made me feel welcomed and comfortable.
“I posed, I danced, I had such a wonderful time.”
I often reflect on how far I’ve come within a year from someone with no self-confidence to a Zumba dancing swimwear model! But at the end of the day, it’s not about physical appearance or size, for me, my most significant change was my positive mindset.
“I’ve learnt to put myself first and be the best version of me – the whole family gains from having a happy mum.”
Why not join in the fun at ‘Elly’s VIP Tupperware Tribe‘s Facebook page.
About The Models:
Ocean Road Swimwear’s models are women from the local community; many have no modelling experience, just a desire to try something new. They are women just like you, each has a story to tell…