At her heaviest, 40 year old mum, Rita Boumelhem, weighed 130 kilos. She suffered from sore knees and was constantly tired and run down. She was also concerned that signs of diabetes had begun to emerge. With a young family to support, Rita knew she couldn’t afford to get sick.
In August 2008, Rita decided to take control of her life by joining Curves Strathfield in Sydney. Since then, she’s never looked back. She is now down to 70 kilos and has gone from a size 20 to a size 10-12.
After nearly three years, Rita has remained healthy by continuing her visits to Curves Strathfield almost daily. She loves the excitement of the Curves Circuit with Zumba Fitness workout.
“It’s the perfect workout for me. In half an hour, I get a shot of energy that helps me get through the day, running around after my two young children” Rita says.
Rita’s most memorable moment since losing weight, is fitting into her first ever pair of jeans. Now she can’t stop buying jeans! Each day, it’s the small achievements that still make Rita smile. Little things like being light enough for her husband to pick her up for a cuddle. Even comfortably fitting into the seat at the movies or doctor’s surgery is a big milestone. Rita’s biggest achievement of all is that she now feels she is a better wife and mother. Her husband, who has supported her on her journey, is so proud of her.
Rita has amazed her doctors by banishing all signs of diabetes. She currently has rheumatoid arthritis and looks forward to using Curves to keep her physically strong to deal with her illness. She believes the recent partnership announced between the Heart Foundation and Curves makes perfect sense.
“Some women are still unaware that diabetes is a risk factor that can lead to heart disease. It is so important to let women know what the risks are with heart disease, to allow them to reduce these risks,” Rita says.
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