Effie Wright

The kilos gradually crept on without me really even noticing and all of a sudden over a period of about 5 years, I was 20kgs heavier. The cause? A combination of bad eating, too much drinking and a little further down the road, the aftermath of a full-term twin pregnancy.

My twin girls were 10 months old when I finally found the brain space to think about me and it was a photo of a gorgeous toned back which popped up on my newsfeed with Vision Personal Training Brighton tagged, that finally lit the spark. It was time to take control of my body again. I knew, if I didn't make a change I'd continue to gain weight. And, all of a sudden, life wasn't just about me anymore. I had to set an example for my kids - so I made the call.

I started training with the incomparable Bill Mihalis in October of 2015. The kilos instantly started shedding away. I couldn't believe it. I was complying with the program without actually believing it would work and yet there it was - in 8 weeks I'd lost 10kgs. I was feeling strong and healthy but most of all proud that I'd snapped out of my rut and I was in control.

I'd love to say that this is how my success story ends, but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

8 weeks into my training program, and 2 days before my girls 1st birthday, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. 31 years old, no family history, 2 little babies to care for…as you can imagine, the diagnosis brought my world crashing down. The next 7 months would involve chemotherapy treatment followed by a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. I naively had hoped that I could continue some level of training during my treatment but my chemo was truly so debilitating that it was impossible. I was grateful however to be battling the disease 10kg lighter than if I'd been diagnosed a mere 2 months earlier.

It would have been so easy to stay in 'cancer mode' even after treatment was over, feeling sorry for myself, frightened, anxious. But I couldn't let it win - Something good had to come out of such a nightmare experience. I'd been advised I'd require a 6-8 week recovery period post-surgery. At 6 weeks on the day, I marched into my surgeon's office and demanded the green light to commence training again. The very next week I was back in the studio with Bill. This next journey at Vision was going to be very different from the last. Physically, I felt weak and old….a result of the drugs and a feeling which would take another 6 months to leave my body. Psychologically, also scarred. Spirit broken. Drained. I was in a worse state than when I had started the previous October.

Slowly but surely, I worked towards a healthier attitude and lifestyle. I can honestly say, today, I feel better than I have in years. Years!! I'm now 12kg down…with only a few more to go. I feel stronger, fitter, healthier, happier. I can do things now I've never been able to do - push ups for example. 5 months after my surgery, I completed the 5.7km leg of the Melbourne Marathon. Now Bill and I are talking about training for a mini triathlon. Ha, imagine that. This time last year, I was the sickest I've even been (and hope to ever be). I couldn't get out of bed, and now we're talking about mini triathlons. It's crazy! And so so cool!!

My babies are 2 years old now, and they copy me as I do body weight exercises around the house. I love that I can keep up with them and that they're growing up in an environment where healthy eating and exercise is the norm.

This turned out to be so much more than a weight loss story for me. There's no way I could have survived without Bill and the Team at Vision Personal Training Brighton.  I know that sounds dramatic but it's really how I feel. They changed my life.