DIY mum kills kilos

Naketa Ferguson has lost 30kg - and her asthma - in 11 months. Picture (R) / Richard Robinson

Imagine holding 63 blocks of butter. That's equal to 31.5kg, the total amount of weight that 27-year-old Naketa Ferguson has lost in the past 11 months to get to a healthy 64kg.

The early childhood teacher's loss means she is now one of five North Island finalists in the Weight Watchers Slimmer of the Year contest to be held in Auckland on Tuesday.

Miss Ferguson will compete with Rachel Wright of Whangarei, Stacey Sime of Napier, Stephanie Gartrell of Wellington, and fellow Aucklander Jenny Johnson.

The winner, and the winner of the South Island contest, will then compete with the five Australian state finalists in Sydney next month.

Between them, the North Island finalists have lost more than 210kg.

Losing more than 30kg has resulted in some real health benefits for Miss Ferguson who was asthmatic.

Previously she was getting nebuliser treatment every two weeks and was relying on her asthma inhaler.

"I was going through a whole Ventolin every two weeks," she said. "Now it's completely under control. I just went and saw my doctor this morning and he was really impressed."

Miss Ferguson has also focused on what she calls "incidental exercise" to lose the weight.

"I'm working, studying and a full-time mum as well," she said.

"I haven't got time to go to the gym so I incorporate it into my daily routine," she said.

Miss Ferguson walks the long way around the house to hang out the washing, runs up stairs and parks well away from the shops. A stint at the gym had cost her $770 for a year and resulted in losing 3kg in seven months.

And the woman who said she had never previously owned a pair of running shoes in her life has now completed a duathlon.

Dr Robyn Toomath, spokeswoman for Fight the Obesity Epidemic, said building a lifelong habit of daily exercise was the only proven way to ensure that lost weight was maintained.

"Taking whatever exercise opportunity ever comes your way, I call it opportunistic exercise."

She supported the lifestyle changes promoted by Weight Watchers but warned that 95 per cent of slimmers regained the weight quickly if they did not include exercise in their daily routine.

"I think it's completely marvellous that she's done what she's done," Dr Toomath said, "but the reality is that the vast majority of people who lose weight ... will regain it again and within five years time will be back to the same weight."