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Cork's Trisha Lewis: I became the person I never dreamt I’d be...

EchoLive.ie, 26 Apr

It’s five years since Cork woman Trisha Lewis started her weight-loss

journey - but it’s become so much more, as she tells EMMA CONNOLLY

Trisha Lewis. This year marks the fifth anniversary of Trisha's

Transformation.

    

Emma Connolly

ALWAYS remember you have the right to change your mind about who you

are.

That’s the heartfelt advice from Trisha Lewis, who has recently marked

the fifth anniversary of her ‘transformation journey,’ which started

out as being about weight loss, but which has evolved into something so

much more.

“I was a chain-smoking, unhealthy chef, who had no exercise regime… and

now I’m a person who is doing the Camino this summer,” said the

35-year-old.

Trisha has shared her incredible weight loss journey with tens of

thousands of people – or rather her Transformers – on social media, has

written two books, and already this year has appeared as a guest on The

Late Late Show.

Reflecting back to when it all started, she said proudly: “I feel now

like the girl I wished I was going to be in five years’ time.”

Trisha Lewis on holidays. Trisha Lewis on holidays.

She honestly admits that she thought she might be a ‘different stone’

at this time.

“Maybe I thought I’d be further along but what I’ve realised on this

journey, in the five years, is that anything drastic doesn’t work.

“What I want is a sustainable way of living, so that means I won’t

always be a ten, in the same way I won’t always be a zero, but I’d be

looking for a good seven!”

In other words, she said, her life has now become so much more than

steps, calories and scales.

“Yes, I want to get the scales down for my health. It is still my goal,

but I’m doing it in a way that’s sustainable for me. I’m not doing it

so the scales will tell me I’m good enough, I’m doing it so I can climb

a mountain, so I can take part in Quest in Killarney, swim 1,000

metres. I want to be here for a long time, and to have the best

possible chance at being strong and fit. So while weight loss is still

my goal, it’s a by-product of the actions I’m doing,” she said.

Trisha has already shared her eating disorder diagnosis, and late last

year she bravely disclosed her previous gambling addiction.

“Everyone has a past at the end of the day. I shared it when I was

ready, and I was very proud that I came out of it. It felt right to

share it in that moment. I’m in recovery and I don’t regret any of my

past,” she said.

And Trisha knows there’ll be bumps in the road going forward – but

she’s ready for them.

“After a while, the issue is never the issue, it’s the symptom, not the

cause. What I found over the last five years, yes, weight loss is

great, but I’m digging deeper, and realising it’s a lot to do with

learned behaviours and if I learned it once, I can learn something else

new. That’s the most beautiful thing.

A picture of Trisha, before she started her transformation journey. A

picture of Trisha, before she started her transformation journey.

“For me, it was about figuring out the causes, what makes me over-eat,

the triggers, setting boundaries, and looking after myself a bit

better.”

That means less people-pleasing, learning to enjoy her own company,

better time management, and often times saying no to things first… just

to say yes later.

Like many people who put themselves out there, she has been on the

receiving end of less than kind comments on social media.

“Look, unfortunately you can never shut it off, but I no longer hold on

to it. Before, I might have screen shot the message, now I just drop it

like a hot ball. When people are my True Transformers, social media is

probably the most beautiful place on earth! But yes, being called fat

is still really hard to hear, I’ve been hearing it since I was four or

five, but it’s my decision if I hold on to it or not.

“If someone thinks I’m not the right size, they’ve way more free time

than I have. You go for it! I would never look at someone and think

they’d be better off if they lost or gained a few pounds.

"That’s a learned behaviour, to put a value on someone based on their

size. It’s not their fault, everyone should take a step back, we’ve all

learned something we need to unlearn. Find me the perfect person and

tell me I’m not perfect.”

A lot of this balanced approach, looking to herself rather than laying

the blame on everyone, has come since she’s started attending therapy.

It’s one of the best investments in her health she’s ever made.

The chef in action. The chef in action.

“It’s just amazing to sit in a space with no judgement. If anyone is

thinking about it, I’d 100% recommend it and would direct people to the

Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (iacp.ie), to find

an accredited professional to work with.”

At the moment, she goes whenever she feels she ‘needs a top up’.

“It’s like a relationship. You have to build it, and at the start it’s

so awkward, and I was like ‘I’m telling you nothing’ and my therapist

was like, ‘if it’s all grand, why are you sitting in front of me?’ You

have to let go, and know that you won’t be judged. All that’s happening

is you’re stopping yourself learning something new about yourself. It’s

scary and hard but it’s the best thing in the world.”

Going forward, Trisha is as busy as ever with her knife business,

‘Sharp by Trisha Lewis’. But as the former head chef in city centre

restaurant Jacobs on the Mall, she admits she’s still obsessed with the

place, and is only delighted to work there on the odd occasion.

She’s also very busy with her corporate work, cooking at festivals, TV

cooking slots while also working full-time with VHI’s motivation team.

As well as all of that she’s hosting a summer party on Saturday May 27

in the Vienna Woods Hotel. Guest speaker will be Gerry Hussey and The

Navigation Coach, Tara Rafter with a focus on investing time in

yourself – with good food, music and dancing thrown in too!

“I’m doing the Camino in July, walking 25km every day for five days.

“I’ve also a third book in my head and am meeting publishers in next

few weeks and will hopefully get that over the line for 2024.

Chef and social media star Trisha Lewis & Broadcaster, outdoors’

enthusiast and food creator Roz Purcell will take part in WellFest 2023

at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin from May 6 to 7. Picture:

Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos Chef and social media star Trisha Lewis &

Broadcaster, outdoors’ enthusiast and food creator Roz Purcell will

take part in WellFest 2023 at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin

from May 6 to 7. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

“The future looks really exciting. I became the person I never dreamt

I’d be, taking on challenges left right and centre and I’ve discovered

that anything is possible if you get out of your own way.”

For ticket information for the May 27 Summer Party see

www.trishastransformation.ie

Meet the Cork professor teaching others how to stand up to bad

behaviour