Telford 24 Seven

Telford gym instructor Stephanie Velasquez watched helplessly as her weight soared to more than 20-stone. She spoke to Kirsty Marston.

As Stephanie Velasquez pedals non-stop for 45 minutes and enthusiastically shouts over the music while leading an indoor bike class, nobody would realise the battle she faced to get back in the gym.

After a fit and healthy childhood, Stephanie graduated four years ago with a degree in exercise and health, and landed a job as a gym and spin instructor.

But despite training several times a week and spending more time in the gym than at home, she was gaining weight rather than shedding it.

Her clothes increased from an athletic size 12 to a 24, and after months of worry, doctors diagnosed a condition called Polycystic Ovaries.

For many it would have been a bombshell, but Stephanie - who lives with her dad at Sutton Heights - saw it as a massive relief. She finally knew what was wrong with her.

The illness was to change her life forever. After shedding three stone and more determined than ever to get back in her size 12 gym gear, the 25-year-old is now controlling the illness rather than letting it control her life.

“I was probably a size 12 when I noticed I’d started to gain weight a lot of weight. I went up to a size 24 when my weight was about 20.5 stone. I’ve battled with it and slowly I’ve lost three stone so I’m a size 18 to 20 now.

“There are many symptoms of Polycystic Ovaries such as bad body hair growth, acne, problems with conceiving and weight gain - and mine was weight gain.”

Confident and happy to talk about her condition, Stephanie just wishes other people were the same.

“It something that’s not recognised and no-one knows how it starts. It’s just not talked about, you just have to accept it.

“Hearing the doctor’s diagnosis was such a relief because I was desperate to know why I was gaining so much weight so rapidly. I was eating healthy and exercising but my weight was just going up and up.”

Her rapid weight gain left her tired and unable to cope, and forced her to quit her full time job.

“It stopped me from doing everything. Once I was diagnosed I kept my job up for a while but it wasn’t the same. It was a constant daily battle.

“Polycystic Ovaries is a vicious circle because it not only makes you gain weight but also stops you from being able to lose weight.

“But to stop everything like I did is the worst thing to do. I just didn’t want to get back into it and I had no support.

“I had a complete break for about 12 months and put on more weight than ever because I wasn’t continuing with the exercise I had done previously as part of my job, and then I felt worse about myself.”

After a series of tests, Stephanie is now on medication and controlling the condition.

She hit a real milestone 18 months ago when she returned to work, at JJB Fitness Club on the Forge Retail Park. Knowing it would be such a big step, she decided to swap her gym gear for a receptionist’s blouse.

Stephanie has been the friendly, welcoming face on the receptionist desk since, but says her feet were itching to get back to what she loved best.

“I decided to take the receptionist job at JJB because I could be close to the gym industry but without being on the gym floor and without instructing.

“To be honest I was going to leave instructing altogether but once I was here amongst it all, I realised where my passion was - definitely with the gym.

“I started doing a little bit in the gym at my own pace and then going back to classes in September.”

But she found getting back to fitness as hard as leaving it.

“You know what you used to be able to do and you could do it in a different way. It’s like a teacher being taught all over again.

“But it helped me to get motivated and to lose the weight. Then Sarah, the studio co-ordinator, gave me a chance and gave me my own class to get back into teaching. I was very, very nervous. But each class has got easier.

“It’s the confidence that gets knocked more than anything else when you gain weight. Even if you think you can or you can’t do something, it’s always your level of confidence which gets you through it.

“I am so determined to get back to a size 12 - but an athletic size 12, I don’t want to be skinny and thin because that is not necessarily any healthier. Exercise has got to be a lifestyle change, rather than a chore.”

Stephanie says dieting isn’t about living on salad and not enjoying what everyone else enjoys, but to take everything in moderation.

“I just don’t eat huge amounts - small amounts and relatively healthy. But I don’t deprive myself.

“I don’t drink or smoke at all so I reward myself in other ways. If I wanted a piece of chocolate, I’d have it as long as I didn’t eat a huge amount of it.”

She hopes revealing her battle with her condition may help others recognise the symptoms earlier and to talk about the condition.

“I’d love to be here for someone to come and speak to me, whether they suffer from Polycystic Ovaries, another condition or just need a confidence boost, so I can tell them how I did it.

“I always say to people - give it a go - if you don’t try you’ll never know and it could be the best life changing decision you ever make.

“I’m controlling my illness, it’s not controlling me. I think there needs to be more support out there. The ability to conceive doesn’t bother me because I know there are ways, such as ovarian drilling, and I’m not at that stage anyway yet when I want children yet.

“Also they have said in some people when they have children, they no longer suffer from Polycystic Ovaries anymore. I’ve got a good menstrual cycle at the moment and that’s a good sign.

“I don’t suffer from hair growth side effect but for people who do, there’s electrolysis which helps. There is always help out there, it’s just a case of taking that step.”

As Stephanie continues in her weight loss and deals with Polycystic Ovaries, she says she has got one aim in life.

“I want to inspire and change other people’s lives. It only takes one step to get going and then the encouragement and support from everyone else around you and you’re well on your way.

“Take that first step and you won’t regret it - you won’t look back.”