Stop Being Fat book: Author Magic Barclay on how she lost 80kg

Stop Being Fat book: Author Magic Barclay on how she lost 80kg 

MAGIC Barclay is half the person she used to be, but feels twice the woman she once was.

The Melbourne mother of two, who admitted to piling on the pounds during her pregnancies, has lost a staggering 80kg.

But if you think it’s all down to diet and exercise, think again.

The motivational speaker and author of Stop Being Fat: Love Yourself Skinnysaid losing weight was a journey far removed from the images and reality shows we are used to seeing on our TV screens.

In her book, Ms Barclay dispels many of the myths surrounding weight loss and reveals the key to losing weight and keeping it off was all down to her mindset.

While admitting diet and exercise were crucial to weight loss, Ms Barclay said people couldn’t truly keep it off unless they were prepared to make mental changes as well.

Her own journey began after her then five-year-old son came to her crying, and said he wished he could put his arms around her like the other kids did to their mums.

Despite being warned by GPs that her health was on the line, hearing her son say that was like a bolt out of the blue. So she began an 11-year process to change.

“In the first few years of motherhood, my weight skyrocketed,” she said.

“I gained 40-50 kilograms with each pregnancy and my devotion to my kids was a convenient excuse to neglect the battle my body was fighting with my weight.”

Then aged 29, Ms Barclay said her world revolved around her sons who were both born with special needs and she used them as an excuse to neglect herself.

“I didn’t value myself and had no idea that my inability to put my health on the priority list was harming my boys in more ways than one,” she said.

“I was very unwell mentally and physically and did not love who I was.”

She admits it took at least eight years for her to learn the secret of keeping it off was letting her mind evolve as well as her body, and another three years for it to stick.

She said it wasn’t until she dealt with past trauma and abuse in her personal life, that her physical life fell into shape too.

“The reality is unless people are prepared to change their mindset and address the root cause (of their weight gain) then nothing will change,” she told news.com.au

“My main message is everyone can do this but you can’t do it alone, but sometimes even those closest to you are not always your best support.”

InStop Being Fat: Love Yourself Skinny, she reveals losing weight, especially large amounts is nothing like it is on reality TV where people are thrown into an intense environment for weeks.

However, she warns once day-to-day life kicks in with work, school runs, and running a household, many would find keeping the weight off difficult.

She also said people wanting to shed the kilos shouldn’t pay attention to before and after shots, many of which come down to good angles, lighting or Photoshop.

And the author said just because people lost weight it didn’t automatically make them happy, Many were left with reminders of their former selves such as stretch marks and saggy skin.

The trick, she said, was to accept this and learn to love it because the perfect body did not exist.

“The journey was long and hard but knowing that I was setting a good example for the kids and knowing that one day, they would be able to embrace me was all the inspiration I needed to stay on track,” she said.

“That being said, I struggled daily. Weight loss is not a simple undertaking. I tried and failed more times than I can count.”

Ms Barclay said it was getting back up again and learning to stay there that counted.