A model has shared how she lost 22kg in an incredible weight loss transformation.
Just a few years ago, Rusha Paenga had reached one of the lowest points of her life.
The now 28-year-old from Sydney said she rarely left the house, instead spending most of her time watching television from bed while consuming unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
As her weight crept up to over 100kg and her size 16 clothes were becoming tighter, she knew it was time to change her life.
While she wanted to lose weight, she lacked the motivation needed to make real changes.
It was not until Rusha was faced with a terrifying health scare that she decided to turn her life around for good by focusing on nutritious foods and daily movement.
The model and reality star, who appeared on Travel GuidesNZ back in 2021, has since lost an incredible 22kg and three dress sizes.
She says she feels incredible in her new 78kg, size 10 frame and continues to kick health goals each week.
“I was living in Europe in my mid twenties and I’d not left the house for a few months,” Rusha, who is originally from New Zealand but now lives in Sydney, told news.com.au.
“Day after day, I’d ask my partner to get me some chocolate. I’d just eat chocolate, takeaways and other snacks in bed. No movement, no sunlight and a bunch of TV series.
“My partner would always encourage me to come for a walk or go workout with him but I never went. One day, after I asked him for chocolate, he asked me why I was doing this.
“He warned me that I could die if I kept going and wondered if I cared about him. That was when I realised what I was doing was not just affecting me, but people I cared about.
“Then when I moved back home, I was getting sick often and had a major health scare. I fell bedridden, couldn’t move and felt really sick.
“I had blood taken and my doctor warned I had high cholesterol and that I was at huge risk of developing diabetes.
“That gave me the scare of my life and was the wake up call I needed.”
Rusha explained that despite having a healthy and active childhood, her weight gain came later in life due to both a lack of understanding and not caring about nutrition, exercise and wellness.
Looking back, she shared that the worst part about being overweight was the struggle to do simple tasks, such as walking up stairs or going grocery shopping.
“Walking up flights of stairs without huffing and puffing was impossible,” she recalled.
“Just carrying the groceries from the supermarket back home was a struggle. I was not as fit, energetic and capable as my partner and I felt embarrassed.
“I felt like a bit of a burden as he would carry the groceries and do most of the supermarket runs. I was lazy and incapable of picking myself up out of bed.
“My diet was bad. I would eat a lot of chocolate like M&Ms, fast food such as KFC, McDonalds and fried chicken, as well as snacks like salted chips and onion dip.
“I still eat those things now, but just much less often and I know how to limit myself.”
Rusha introduced two major lifestyle changes to help kick start her health journey.
The first was to overhaul her diet with a major focus on eating balanced and nutritious food that would fuel her body and keep her feeling satisfied.
The second was implementing a consistent workout routine into her schedule, which includes a mix of cardio exercises and strength training five days a week.
“I have completely changed my lifestyle,” she said.
“I focus on balanced nutrition, with my plate made up of 50 per cent vegetables, with a quarter left for meat and another quarter for quality carbs.
“I eat proper meals three times a day and make sure I feel full. I eat healthy snacks instead of junk food.
“I work out regularly, with two days on and a day off. I mix it up by going for a long run, doing strength training or at home workouts, like pilates.
“I am so much fitter now, and I’m walking everywhere. It is so much easier to carry groceries, walk up hills or go for bike rides, so I am just healthier in general.”
Now Rusha feels happier and healthier than ever before after changing her life for the better.
“I feel free. I am so much more productive and energetic,” she said.
“It’s the best feeling waking up and knowing nothing can stand in your way. I still have a long way to go but I’m getting closer to my goals every day.
“My mental health has soared. My moods are more stable, and I am emotionally stronger.”
One bizarre side effect of her weight loss is that it has impacted Rusha’s modelling career.
“It is very strange. When I was bigger, I was getting a lot of modelling work,” she said.
“But when I dropped sizes, this reduced significantly. My agents told me it is because brands are just not picking my size.
“There really is a gap for mid size models. It does feel weird to be at my healthiest and getting less modelling work.
“I think some brands are really shining the spotlight on mid size models but many have a long way to go.
“It is just a matter of time when mid-size will take off, and I for one, will be waiting patiently for my time to step in.”