Mum fat-shamed by son's drawing joins the gym – and is now a bikini model

dailystar.co.uk:

weight loss journey. Wendy Candlish, from Canberra, spotted the drawing when she picked up her eldest son from school in 2019 and felt devastated.She told news.com.au: "I didn’t need to ask which one was my son’s – I just knew."It was a real slap in the face and the wake-up call I needed."The little boy had drawn a stick figure with a large stomach alongside the phrase “it’s OK to be fat”.And, while she appreciated the message, Wendy claims the drawing highlighted her unhealthy lifestyle and caused her to want to make a change.The mum had struggled with her weight all her life.As a teenager she tried to avoid carbs and fat, but would eventually cave and go through cycles of binge-eating and excessive drinking.She explained: "I would use particular foods as a punishment, eat for emotional comfort and at times use food as a reward.“I had an all or nothing attitude and never considered the impacts of what I was doing was making to my health."In adulthood, Wendy continued to “eat for two” and claims people couldn’t tell she was pregnant when she was expecting her youngest.After seeing the drawing three years ago, however, she hired a trainer and went to regular fitness classes.There she discovered a love of lifting weights and is now so pleased with her figure that she’s planning to compete in the World Beauty Fashion & Fitness show’s Transformation division.With the help of sports nutritionist Alicia Gowens, Wendy managed to overcome her negative dieting habits and “self-abuse”.The gorgeous mum will need to pose in a bikini for the competition and regularly posts swimwear shots on Instagram.Now, Wendy hopes she’s a better role model for her children as she walks up to 12,000 steps a day and eats a balanced diet.The proud.