Feel-good weight at last: how Renate defeated the yo-yo effect with lasting effect

I still remember like yesterday when a friend asked me at basketball practice, “Have you gained weight?”

I was 12 and wasn’t concerned about weight or dieting until then. This question hit me deeply at the time and I started eating less.

I left out breakfast, a salad for lunch and just a little something in the evening. That was not difficult for me at all and the excess kilos were quickly gone. In addition to ball sports, I went jogging every day.

I don’t remember my weight anymore, but I know that at some point I was so skinny that I missed my period, which I hadn’t had for long. That was really a shock!

A lot of people have told me I’m too skinny. But I didn’t want to hear that because I liked it.

“A high and low – of feelings and weight”

Then, when I was about 15, there was a turnaround. After a long time I ate a pizza again. And then lost the measure. I wasn’t full until my stomach hurt. In a short time I gained about 10 kg again.

In addition to a lot of sport and periods of hunger, I often had cravings and uncontrolled binge eating. It was really bad, ups and downs – of feelings and weight.

I had my maximum weight of 72 kg at 1.80 m 13 years ago and it was only not anymore because I always did a lot of sport. I didn’t feel well and was always trying to lose weight. But I didn’t know how, didn’t know what to eat, how to get out of the vicious circle.

When I look back today, I’m sad because I haven’t been able to really enjoy my life because it’s always been about eating, not eating and losing weight.

“I was finally happy at 62 kilos”

In 2009 I met my husband. He supported me and taught me to love myself and enjoy life. With him at my side with a lot of discipline, jogging and fitness, I then lost 10 kg.

I was even more involved with nutrition and sport than I used to be, I had already obtained my trainer’s license in 2006 and worked as a trainer in various studios.

In 2012, just in time for our wedding, I reached my target weight. At 62 kg I was finally happy. Even the pregnancies in which I gained 18 kg each did not throw me off balance.

I lost the kilos again and reached my feel-good weight. In 2018 I did my training as a nutritionist, which helped me a lot because it gave me a better understanding of many things.

“It is a long way”

I’ve kept my weight constant for over 5 years now. I found my balance and learned to love myself. On the one hand, I want to pass on my experience to my children. They should learn to eat intuitively.

You don’t have to eat to empty the plate, but when you’re full. There is no chocolate for consolation. And I explain to them why, for example, omega-3 fatty acids are so important.

And on the other hand, as a personal trainer, my customers, because I have now turned my “passion” into a profession and I try to motivate people to lead a healthy life.

On my Instagram account @samoja_fitness, I love giving tips on the topics of nutrition, sport and motivation, and inspiring my subscribers with recipes, live lectures and workouts.

Because an eating disorder is not like any other addiction. You can’t just stop and say, “I’ve been sober for x days now or haven’t smoked.”

It’s a long way and I think education is very important.