Natalie James, from Pokeno, in the Waikato, embarked on a weight-loss journey that saw her lose nearly half of her body weight in under two years.
The 34-year-old mother-of-three says the days of living off pasta and ready-made meals
are long behind her as she has embraced a healthier lifestyle, both for her sake and the sake of her children.
"I always knew I had to do something about it, I've never been "small" but after having kids I was at my heaviest," she recalls.
![Less than two years separate the two photos of Natalie. Photos / Facebook](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/YAI5DT2OUG7VTFVQCZREUPSCZQ.jpg?auth=ea172b14c278efa334628217622d71c2b5cbf0f44a1efea78ad45af8ac956bbe&width=16&height=8&quality=70&smart=true)
She admits it was tricky to say goodbye to the unhealthy meals but she drew inspiration from her husband who started doing bootcamps and suggested she tried some one-on-one personal training sessions.