She lost 40 kg with a ‘nozempic' approach to reconnect with her daughters, and became a weight-loss coach herself
Debbie Lurvey transformed her life after a wake-up call involving her daughters and excessive drinking. She lost more than 40 kg through mindful eating and sobriety, inspiring her husband to join her. Now a certified life and weight-loss coach, Debbie helps others by emphasizing small, achievable steps and self-compassion, turning her personal journey into a mission to guide others.
iStock Debbie Lurvey transformed her life after a wake-up call involving her daughters and excessive drinking. She lost 90 pounds through mindful eating and sobriety, inspiring her husband to join her. (Representational image: iStock) For Debbie Lurvey, the turning point came on a morning she will never forget. The 55-year-old mother woke up in a haze at her manager's home after a night of blackout drinking, feeling not just physically drained but emotionally shattered. The incident strained her already fragile relationship with one of her daughters — and reminded her she had already lost touch with another. 'I didn't want to lose my relationship with my children,' Debbie told The Mirror. 'Something about my children being disappointed in me made me want to change.' Two years later, she is 40kg lighter, sober, and helping others on their weight-loss journeys. At her heaviest, Debbie weighed around 109kg. Her life revolved around bar nights — 'five days a week' — with plates of nachos, burgers, and endless drinks. She had endured other 'wake-up calls' in the past, including injuries from drinking, but it was the pain of her daughters' disappointment that finally pushed her to act. She signed up for a recovery course she saw on Facebook, attended her first sobriety meeting that very day, and began to overhaul her diet. 'I walked into a client's office and said, 'I need help,'' she recalled. 'Then I went live on Facebook and told everyone I needed help.'
Debbie lost the first 11 kg before she even stopped drinking, simply by changing her eating habits. She focused on protein, vegetables, and portion control — eating when hungry, stopping when satisfied. There were no fad diets, injections, or celebrity-endorsed pills — just what she calls mindful eating. 'If I was satisfied, not full, I stopped eating,' she said. 'During that time I learned so much about what my body needs, but also what my mind needs. I learned that I could think new thoughts and learn to like myself.' Today, she wears a size four and weighs about 150 pounds (68kg). Debbie's success inspired her husband Kevin, 56, to quit drinking and lose 60 pounds (27kg). The retired delivery driver began cooking healthier meals for them both.
'She's an amazing woman. She has peace now,' Kevin said. 'Following in her steps and seeing how she did things rubbed off on me.' Debbie is now back in touch with all of her children and stepdaughter. The family bonds she feared losing are now stronger than ever. Debbie turned her personal transformation into a mission. She co-hosts a podcast, April and Debbie Dish: The Truth on Weight Loss, and works as a certified life and weight-loss coach. Her philosophy is simple: take it one step at a time.
'Don't look at a hundred pounds or a year without alcohol,' she said. 'Look at the first pound, the first day, and believe you can do that. You haven't failed until you quit. Don't quit.' Even after losing over 40 kg, Debbie keeps a balanced mindset. If the scale ticks up slightly, she doesn't see it as failure, but as a reminder to listen to her body. 'I don't consider it a regain,' she explained. 'It's awareness.'
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