28 stone Dulwich mum loses half her bodyweight after enlisting the help of personal trainer

BY GEORGINA GAMBETTA
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

A mum has lost half her bodyweight so that she could play with her little girl Amelie.

Rebecca Waclawyj, from East Dulwich, topped the scale at 28 stone 11lbs at her peak – but one day she decided enough was enough.

Cutting down her eating did not bring huge results. Then her world was flipped upside down – she found out she was pregnant.

So she joined the gym at Dulwich Leisure Centre and hit the rowing and weight machines.

She had struggled to push herself to commit tor regularly going in the past – but this time her goal wasn’t about her appearance.

She wanted to get fit for when her baby was born.

She said: “I went in with the ethos that it’s better to show up and do something than nothing.”

Then she enlisted Gleicio Silva Gonzaga as her personal trainer, in a bid to step up her regime.

Project manager Rebecca said: “Gleicio was the perfect personal trainer for me.

“He had just the right amount of drill sergeant and cheerleader to push me a little further and show me the purpose and range of exercises available.”

A year-and-a-half years on, Rebecca now does at least three hours’ of exercise a week, taking regular zumba, bodypump, yoga, and weight training classes. This has culminated in a loss of 13 stone 11lb.

Rebecca said: “I feel fantastic for it. I couldn’t have done it without the support of Gleicio, my training buddies and the motivation of my daughter.

“I love being able to do all the things my size held me back from doing – like go-karting, fairground rides, trampolining and simple things like running for the bus.

“People can really take these kind of opportunities for granted. My biggest tips for anyone going through a similar journey is to be kind and honest with yourself and just show up and do something.

“Keep reminding yourself that you’re worth it and you can really achieve anything you set your mind to.”

Gleicio said: “It’s been amazing to watch Rebecca’s journey since she started coming to the leisure centre.

“Her commitment to her fitness and weight loss goal is an inspiration to us all.

“She looks absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to watch her continue to get stronger, fitter and healthier.”