'This moment on a Disney cruise kickstarted my 55 kg transformation'

Here’s how one photo meant to capture a lifelong memory with her daughter, instead filled this Sydney mum with the determination she needed to change her health habits for good – and how exactly she did it. 

When Gabbie Radley, an AR Officer from Campbelltown, received photos taken of her and her daughter on a Disney Cruise, she was forced to reevaluate her lifestyle. 

“I was so excited to take her that I even paid an additional $175 to get to keep every photo taken of us while we were there. Looking at those photos, I couldn’t share one of them,” she recalls. 

“My daughter is so beautiful and looks amazing,  but all I saw was how big I had gotten and how ashamed I was of that.”  

Life before her health transformation

The 43-year-old mother of one’s life before her inspiring weight loss journey was stagnant, full of unhealthy food choices and a barely-there approach to fitness and exercise. 

Trying her best to accommodate for a fussy 7-year-old, Radley found herself constantly doing what she could to guarantee her daughter would eat – even if it meant only serving foods like pasta, rice and bypassing healthier options. 

“I would make double or triple what was needed for that night, and then just take leftovers in for my lunches at work,” she says.

But it wasn’t just unhealthy food choices that contributed to Radley’s steady weight gain, “Soft drink was also a big part of my daily life. I tried many times to ‘give it up’, but always ended up drinking it again,” she says. 

As for exercise, the Campbelltown local says her routine was basically non-existent. “I would occasionally walk to work from the train station, but drove often, and once I was in the office, I was at my desk until it was time to go home,” she says. 

“I went to work, came home, and that was about it. I would go to events and sports for my daughter, but I definitely didn’t do anything for myself.” 

“I had gone from a job where I  was active almost constantly to a job where I was seated at a desk all day, and my diet never changed,” adds Radley. “Over the years, the kilos began to pile up and I didn’t notice.”

Couples with a bad breakup, a poor diet and non-existent exercise routine, Radley’s weight gain throughout the years began to increase, leaving the mum-of-one feeling like there was nothing she could do to change the course of her health. 

At her heaviest weight, Radley weighed 142 kgs. 

Gabbie’s turning point

With her cruise photos acting as a wake-up call for Radley, the Sydney mum was determined to take action. 

“I stumbled across an article on Body+Soul about 28 by Sam Wood and how Sam was running a free Health of the Nation program, to try and help Australians lose weight, in Feb 2024,” she recalls. 

“I was in my feels about my weight (thanks Disney Cruise), and I thought, ‘It’s free, worst that can happen is nothing changes, I haven’t lost anything’.”

Radley joined expecting that she’d just tweak her daily meals, but was surprised to find the guidance and simple recipes provided by the 28 team helped transform her life far more easily.

In the first few weeks of the challenge, Raldey leaned on support from her family and the 28 community, finding encouragement from other Aussies going through the same journey. 

“I thought it would be hard to change, but the hardest part was changing my mindset. I could do it, I just had to believe I could do it,” she says.

Now, Radley is proud to have lost 56 kgs, an impressive result of 20 months’ hard work and determination.

A typical week of exercise for Radley now consists of lots of walking. 

“I walk to work every day, and then I go for a walk in my lunch break to keep my body moving. I also have been enjoying Pilates and Dance Fitness with Lucy!”

Gabbie’s typical day on a plate

Breakfast: I typically have a Smoothie for breakfast (my current favourite is the Gingerbread Smoothie – it’s like drinking a Gingerbread Cookie!)

Lunch: I will have a salad or fritters for lunch (this week it’s Zucchini and Feta Fritters).

Dinner: Every night is different, and it’s a little bit like eating take-out – only I made it! But every Tuesday we have Slow Cooker Butter Chicken or a Thai Red Chicken  Curry – They are alternating weeks and my (now) 9-year-old LOVES them! 

Dessert: I don’t generally feel like snacking or dessert most of the time any more, but when I do, it’s often a high-protein snack… plus my morning coffee!

Gabbie’s advice for others looking to make a change

For Radley, understanding just how crucial exercise and healthy habits are to support her mental health has been a game-changing realisation.

“If your mental health is in a bad place, it can be hard to do something about the physical challenges, but by doing something about the physical challenges, it can help your mental health!” She says. 

And like any good mental challenge, transforming her health required her to constantly hold herself accountable, “It was definitely a mental battle. I needed to understand that if I put my mind to it, I could do it,” she shares. “I needed to stop using my child as an excuse to not do anything about my weight and put my health first.”  

Her final words of advice for others?

“You can do it! I know it sounds silly, and everyone says that, but it’s true. If it’s something you WANT to do, you can do it, you just need to find the program or system or meal plan or whatever you need that works for you,” she says. “Don’t do it for anyone else, do it for you.”