#8 How'd they do it?
Sam Perret
The How’d they do it? interview series is designed to share the tips and tricks of how members of the Alfred community lost weight and gained energy.
This week, we chatted with Sam Perret, an International Relations student, and administrator, to share how slow and steady is helping her win the race.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m in my 20s and I graduated from ANU with an Arts degree, majoring in International Relations.
From your heaviest, how much weight have you lost?
I have lost about 6kgs in the past 8 months and I’m still on my journey to my goal weight. That may not sound like a lot to some people, but it’s been a slow and steady process for me. Due to my epilepsy and medication, trying to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time wasn’t a plausible idea.
Why did you want to lose weight?
The two main reasons I wanted to lose weight: self-confidence and a degree of independence.
I’ve never been that confident in myself, particularly about my body image. Since I made the decision to start losing weight and become more healthy, I’ve started to gain more confidence within myself.
There are many things in my life that I can’t control due, but I realised one thing I can control is what I eat and how much. Alfred helps me keep track of that and helped me change my eating habits in the process.
Was there anything holding you back from losing weight in the past?
The two main things that held me back from losing weight in the past were my medication and not keeping track of how much I ate.
The previous medication I’d been taking for years made me very tired and had the side effect of weight gain. The weight gain impacted on my self-confidence and the tiredness impacted my ability to do regular exercise - all of which became a vicious cycle.
Along with that, not keeping track of how much I ate led to excess snacking, which didn’t help.
But thanks to Alfred, I’ve been able to cut out excess snacking completely, which has helped me greatly on my weight loss journey.
One of the things we’re trying to do at Alfred is to help people take control of their health. What’s been the biggest change to your health you’ve noticed from losing weight?
Along with changes to my medication, I’ve noticed several big changes. I’m not as tired, I don’t snack nearly as much, and I don’t feel as bloated as I used to. Plus my cognitive function and energy levels have improved greatly.
What’s your favourite meal?
Homemade butter chicken with rice and roti, and savory scrambled eggs (scrambled eggs with bacon, chorizo, feta, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes all mixed in) on toast.
If you could go back, what would you tell yourself at the beginning of your weight loss journey?
I’d tell myself that it would take a while and it wouldn’t be easy, and that I need to remain consistent and keep a positive mindset.
And instead of thinking “this is so hard”, think “look how far you’ve come.”
You’ll get there Sam. Just be patient.
Got a message for the Alfred community?
Losing weight and getting healthy isn’t instantaneous and can be a long process.
But if you remain consistent, determined and mindful of your goal, it is possible.
Changing your eating habits is also very important, whether you are looking to lose weight or simply maintain the weight you are now. I promise it will be worth it in the long run.
Thanks Sam! Well said!
If you’d like to share your story, please get in touch here.