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