Teresa McGrath had struggled with her weight for many years, trying diets and quick fixes to no avail.
After giving birth to her seventh child, the Cork woman decided she wanted to make a sustainable change and finally lose weight long term.
Now, she is 136 pounds, or nine stone and 10 pounds, down and she feels better than ever.
Read more: Waterford mum shares the tasty meals that helped her lose two and a half stone
Speaking to RSVP Live, Teresa said: "I had tried every diet going, I threw myself full force into any diet and failed dramatically.
"When my seventh child was four weeks old, I was like I have to mind myself and my health. I had done everything the wrong way before -I wanted to lose two stone in two weeks. We all have those events in our lives where we try to lose weight fast and realistically it doesn't happen.
"I have learned that you just have to take your time with it."
Teresa gave herself 12 months to put in real effort to a lifestyle change and kickstart her weight loss.
"I thought, I'm going to do things the right way this time," she said. "I'll give myself 12 months instead of two weeks."
Teresa has ended up losing 136 pounds just through incorporating healthier habits into her life - taking up exercise, getting her steps in and making healthier choices when it comes to food. For her, it has been a lifestyle change and not a diet, and through that she has been able to keep the weight off instead of going back to unhealthy habits and gaining it again.
She feels happier and healthier than ever when it comes to both her physical and her mental health.
"I wouldn't be where I am now mentally if I didn't stick to the goals I had and make those changes," said Teresa. "I have come on 100%.
"Physically, I don't know how I did it. I was carrying around an extra person. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't keep up with the kids, my skin was bad, my hair was bad. Everything you need now is the opposite to what I was like at my heaviest."
For Teresa, some of her best advice is to focus on a weight loss journey as a change you're making for your health rather than an aesthetic one to look a certain way.
"Work out to be stronger, work out for the person that you're going to be 20 years down the line," she said. "For health reasons, not because you had a Chinese last night and you want to work it off.
"Consistency is key. Consistency doesn’t mean perfect, it just means never giving up."
You can give Teresa a follow on her Instagram here.
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