Sharon’s young sons Ben and Jack were all the incentive she needed to get back into shape.

“I wanted to get fit for them,” she said.

“I’d become quite unfit and I needed to do something.

“My doctor said to me, ‘You’ve beaten leukaemia, now are you lining up for a heart attack?’”

After shedding 8.1kg and a total of 36.1cm in the recent Contours Bowral weight loss challenge, Sharon is having no trouble keeping up with her two active sons.

A member of the women’s gym for eight months, Sharon said the six-week challenge gave her a target to aim for and helped her to achieve it.

As well as visiting the gym five times a week, Sharon used Contours protein drinks and bars and followed a high protein, low-carbohydrate diet, cutting out potatoes, rice, pasta and white bread.

“The menu was very family friendly and the family had the meals as well,” Sharon said.

“I’m really happy and I feel great.”

Sharon and her fellow Contours challenge winners Maryanne Tasker, Jessica Peterson and Joy Thiessen lost a total of 35.9kg during the challenge.

Overall winner Maryanne Tasker joined the challenge to kickstart her weight loss and fitness program.

Now 8.8kg lighter, Maryanne has more energy to keep up with her six grandchildren and the children at her workplace, Birrahlee Children’s Centre.

Although she had never been in a gym until she joined Contours six months ago, Maryanne has become a gym junkie after losing 10kg in six months, visiting for workouts four times a week.

For the full story see the Southern Highland News, Friday, July 18

editorial.highlandnews@ruralpress.com