When Jessica Clark was in high school, she weighed nearly double what she does now.
The Gold Coast resident was teased because of her weight, and kept her unhappiness to herself.
Despite playing representative sport, Miss Clark’s appetite was at times driven by her emotions, and she told Daily Mail Australia at her heaviest she weighed 95 kilograms.
Feeling fit: Jessica Clark, 20, of the Gold Coast lost 40 kilograms after she bullied at school for her weight
Body transformation: Today Miss Clark competes in bodybuilding (left), having gone from 95 kilograms (right) to just 55 kilograms
‘I didn’t really let anybody know about it that much,’ she said of her struggle with weight and bullying.
‘A couple of my close girlfriends knew, but I kept it from my family.’
Unlike many people who struggle with weight, Miss Clark said she regularly exercised.
Her problem, at times, was managing the portion sizes of her food.
Poor diet: Miss Clark has always been sporty, but said as a teenager she had problems with the portion sizes of her meals
Body struggle: ‘I was really stocky, and they took that as a pin point to use against me,’ she said of her schooling years
At about 17 she topped the scales at 95 kilograms, and it was then that she decided to make a change.
‘I was a state rep for Triathlons, athletics and football,’ she said.
‘I was really stocky, and they took that as a pin point to use against me.’
In Year 11 she underwent a knee operation, and it was not until after she graduated school that she really started to change her body.
She joined a gym and started to do high-intensity weights and training.
As she started to see results, she began to train for a body building competition.
Preparation for the event saw her eating a diet high in protein in good fats, such as avocados and nuts, and good carbs such as sweet potato.
Eating right: Today Miss Clark trains for body building competitions which sees her eat a diet high in protein and good fats
Body confidence: While competing can be nerve-wracking, Miss Clark said it was a ‘really good feeling’
‘It’s really just sticking to a 12-week plan and a good diet,’ she said.
‘I was training five to six days a week with weights and cardio, for about two to three hours.
‘It’s definitely nerve-wracking up there [on stage], but it’s a really good feeling.’
Inspiring others: ‘Don’t be afraid of getting help or making that change,’ she said.
The weight fell off, and today Miss Clark weighs around 55 kilograms.
She has started her own personal training business, and hopes to inspire other young girls to make a change.
‘Don’t be afraid of getting help or making that change,’ she said.
Courtesy of: Daily Mail