Unislimmer of the Year Bernie Finn made a visit to the Arklow Unislim class last week following her amazing achievement , the mother of two, who attends Darina Johnson’s Gorey class made a visit to Darina’s Arklow class to share her amazing story. You could hear a pin drop listening to Bernie tell how reaching her weight goal through the personal support of Darina and Unislim and how it has completely changed her life forever. ‘I feel amazing!’ said Bernie.
Darina Johnson, Unislim leader of the Arklow and Gorey classes said, “We always knew she was a winner, but it’s officially official.
We couldn’t be more proud of her.”
Up against a line up of 12 finalists from across the country, who between them have lost 70 stone, Bernie took the well deserved crown.
Bernie decided to join Unislim in August 2017, weighing in at 18 stone 12lbs and over the past two and a half years she has lost 9 stone.
“I never thought I would be here accepting this award. What doesn’t seem like long ago I could hardly walk and I felt so low. All I can say to anyone reading this who is thinking about losing weight, it has completely changed my life. I am a completely different person now and feel like life is so exciting again”.
Bernies Full Story below
Sticking with a good eating plan and exercise are chef Bernie Finn’s proven recipe for success!
I always carried weight as a child and throughout my twenties, I knew I was big but it didn’t really bother me. I got married in 2012 and lost some weight for the wedding. After a couple of years, the weight started going back on. I had two small kids and was working full time as a chef. I wasn’t eating properly and I drove everywhere. I wore elasticated leggings and if someone took a picture of me I’d delete it straight away, so I didn’t really notice putting on weight.
It all came to a head around the end of 2016 when I developed several problems with my health from being overweight. I was 18 stone 12lbs. I could hardly walk. I said to my husband “I have to do something about this.” Then on the way back from holidays the seat belt wouldn’t fit. I took a photo of myself and cried all the way home.
I’d been going to Unislim on and off over the years but only on a week when I’d lost weight! This time I decided, “no matter how long it takes, no matter what sort of week I had I’m not giving up.”
Now I was 100% committed. Within a couple of weeks I really started to feel much better. I noticed that the foods I was eating were making me feel lighter and better. I started to take photos of myself and feel good about myself, it really motivated me. I lost three stone in three months, seven stone in nine months and then I got to my target, eight and a half stone in 14 months.
When I joined Unislim I gave up my car. Now I’m running with my son, I walk 15-20,000 steps most days. I’ve started going to the gym, my husband is also going. I can see the positive effect on the whole family. Within three months of getting to my ideal weight, all my health issues disappeared.
If I hadn’t started a year and a half ago I’m not sure where I’d be. It’s changed the future for all of us, the kids especially. They’ll grow up healthy. They only eat fresh food, they see both their parents are active all the time. The Unislim plan is very much about eating lots of delicious and wholesome food.
To look at me now, I’m like a different person, some people don’t recognise me. I look 20 years younger. Being overweight is tough, not being able to put on your socks or play with your kids. You feel self-conscious all the time.
My advice to anyone is to not give up and be accountable. Keep going even if you have a bad week. Give yourself some self-love and trust that it will happen. You get so much encouragement and praise in class, it’s very motivating, you want to make everyone proud and in particular my amazing leader Darina. After a while it just becomes easy.
Has my life changed? In some ways my life hasn’t changed – I still have the same family, friends, and job – but how I feel about it has changed.
Before, every day was a struggle, life was exhausting. I now wake up feeling happy, positive and excited for the future! Now I love clothes, I have energy and feel good about myself.
I used to think it would be impossible to lose so much weight, but I’ve done it. And if I can do it, anyone can do it!
