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 in 14 months&“I feel unstoppable” – Bernadette lost 35kg (5st, 7lb) in 14 months&media=https://thefast800.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025022-027_HiRes-scaled.jpg)
“I feel unstoppable” – Bernadette lost 35kg (5st, 7lb) in 14 months
Bernadette discovered The Fast 800 programme and it transformed her physical and mental health for good after a 5-year battle with leukemia.
We’re incredibly inspired by Bernadette, so we’re sharing her story to help inspire others.
Where it all started
Bernadette had just secured a HR Director role and was feeling excited about her career when she noticed some unusual bruising that took her to the doctor. She was devastatingly told that she had leukemia (blood cancer) and that unless she started treatment immediately, she had a matter of days to live.
My battle with blood cancer went on for 5 years. After initial success and going into remission, I had a relapse. I fought it again but was told the likelihood of it returning was really high. To cope, I went into denial. I adopted bad habits, lots of social drinking and poor eating. I put on a lot of weight both from the treatment and poor eating habits. I felt bloated, tired and physically unfit. I had always had a tendency to be an emotional eater, and this became worse as I naively tried to push through and apply myself at work as hard as I had prior to my illness. I was determined to show everyone that I was okay, but I wasn’t.
She’d always been interested in Dr Michael Mosley’s TV programmes, and was particularly struck by the Australian Health Revolution. Bernadette was so impressed with the holistic approach and the results of the participants that she decided to research what it was all about.
I signed up and it has been – and I don’t say this lightly – life-changing.
Bernadette’s journey on the programme
While completing The Fast 800 programme personalisation quiz, Bernadette realised she couldn’t answer ‘yes’ to the question ‘Can you easily get up off the floor?’, which is when she realised the extent to which she had neglected her health and fitness. So, she started with The Very Fast 800 to kickstart her weight loss, and chair-based exercises to help build her fitness again. “The results were immediate. Losing 11lb (5kg) in my first week, I felt more alert, more energised and for the first time in a long time, hopeful. Standing on the scales, I just couldn’t believe how that number kept going down.”
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Bernadette was shocked by how easy she found the 12-week programme to follow, with meals planned for her, exercises and recipes that were actually achieveable, and an interactive community of others around the world who started on the same week as her. Though it wasn’t always without its challenges.
Over the first 12 weeks I had two birthday parties, and I found it difficult to not drink and to not eat the sweets. I had to be very careful about planning catch-ups – suggesting walking with friends instead of the typical brunch or lunch. The way the programme is designed not only guides better decisions, but educates participants on the science – the biology, physiology and behavioural science – to help you change habits. When I see fast food ads now, it actually makes my stomach turn. It’s quite off-putting to watch and it doesn’t trigger any craving or desire to eat that food anymore.
Bernadette’s typical day on a plate before embarking on The Fast 800 lifestyle
Breakfast: “Toast with loads of butter and vegemite.”
Lunch: “Leftover pasta, or if I was eating out, I’d always choose the option with hot chips and dipping sauce. I never thought about the nutrition of my choices and didn’t think twice about an unhealthy option.”
Dinner: “Lots of pasta with a jar of pasta sauce, which is full of sugar (that’s why it tasted so good). After eating, I would be thinking “there’s some more on the stove top” and I’d end up eating the portion that was for lunch the next day.”
Snacks: “Lots of chocolate, biscuits, cheese and crackers.”
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Bernadette’s typical day on a plate on the programme
Breakfast: “I really enjoy oats, yogurt, berries and a few nuts. I really like the chia puddings and the Spiced Pumpkin Pudding. I also enjoy poached eggs with kale and tomato.”
Lunch: “I love the salads: the Mediterranean Salad, the Tuna Salad or mixed bean. Sometimes I cook a batch of Apple Cinnamon Muffins and just take a couple of those to work.”
Dinner: “One of my favorites is the steak with butter beans and leek. I also like the Lamb Chops with the minted peas.”
Before, I would go through a load of bread over two days. Since being on the programme, I’ve saved money and there’s less food wastage because the meal plan provides me with a shopping list of what I need to buy for my next week. I buy a loaf of bread and freeze it and that lasts me a month, even more now.
Where is Bernadette now?
Bernadette is thriving in her new life. She’s managed to lose an incredible 5st 7lb (35kg) in little over a year, as well as finding many other unexpected health benefits, like her oncologist discovering her fatty liver has returned to the ‘normal’ range.
I feel incredibly resilient. I feel unstoppable. My body is doing things that I didn’t think possible in terms of flexibility. I sleep better and I wake up feeling rested. I am more productive at work and I can manage my workload better. I am also loving life – I’m more social, curious and adventurous in pursuing different interests and hobbies. I’ve just started dating again, and I feel that I can be my authentic self because I’m not feeling self-conscious.
After having made such a change, Bernadette has no regrets and wishes she’d discovered the programme 13 years ago before her health ever took a turn in the first place. If you would like to find out how The Fast 800 Programme could also transform your life, sign up to your 7-day free trial here.
