In 2017, Trisha Lewis approached her 30th birthday in misery, suffering from depression* and weighing approximately 170kg.
Having ditched her plans to undergo gastric bypass surgery in Belgium, and with an ever-growing and loving family behind her, the Cork-based chef decided it was time for a change.
Pulling on black pajamas bottoms, a black top and an old cardigan with a hole one it, Trisha made a last-ditch attempt to turn her life around. She went to the gym.
A few weeks later, having spent most of her time avoiding mirrors, the young woman made the unlikely decision to film her workout sessions. She's not entirely sure why she did it in the first place but, on the suggestion of her friend, she took things a step further and start an Instagram account in order to track her journey in the most honest way possible.
She called it Trisha's Transformation.
Now, in 2020, with 113k followers to her name as well as a Late Late Show appearance, various radio interviews, a podcast, and a brand new cookbook, it's clear to see Trisha has made an impact.
Despite her success though, the Limerick woman says that despite the drastic changes in her life since turning 30, she doesn't have it all figured out just yet.
"I hate seeing before and after photos online, I want to see a b***h sweat," Trisha laughs over the phone, discussing her journey from Instagram star to published author.
The laugh is an infectious one. In fact, Trisha's whole mood is infectious; she's as authentic as they come with every pair of broken sunglasses, weight gain, weight loss, embarrassing moment and career high documented with care and accuracy.
"I accept slips as part of the process," she says. "I still don't know how to lose 13 stone, it's all a learning process to me, and that's why I swore that if I was up, down, happy or sad, I would be honest above all else. If I ever find myself in a position where I can't be honest then that's the day I'll delete the account."
Speaking about her new book, the Cork-based chef says that she does have some nuggets of wisdom to impart on her 'transformers', the people who Trisha refers to as "the greatest humans alive".
The most important lesson is one that we have all come to learn in lockdown: slow down and appreciate the day to day journey. With so many 'quick fixes' and miraculous diet shakes out there, it can be easy to forget what exactly it is your chasing in life.
"People put so much pressure on the number and the scales when, in fact, it should be the feeling you're chasing. When you want to lose weight, you're sad and therefore you want to change things and be happy. So chase the happiness and the weight loss will follow," she explains with a no-nonsense attitude.
True to her word, numbers are rarely mentioned on Trisha's Instagram account. Stepping on the scales when she's in need of a 'reset' and counting calories when she wants to change up her food plan, Lewis uses numbers as a guideline rather than a punishment.
Instead of chastising herself for overeating or under-exercising, she puts a huge emphasis on self-love - for both her old and new self.
While many 'fitspo' influencers disregard their past selves as the 'before' in their 'before and after' story, Lewis says she is still amazed by how 'Old Trisha' was able to walk into the gym that fateful day.
"I want to educate people that the person that you look back on is the person that got you to where you are, 26 stone Trish is braver and stronger than any 19 stone Trish," she explains.
"I got very tired of hating who I was so I decided to change it and it's absolutely brilliant. I look back at videos and I love her. Nothing bad can come out of loving who you are. For years, I never gave myself the chance that I deserved and now I wake up every day and I'm so grateful that I am who I am - flaws and all. I love every bit of it and it's so much fun."
Writing about some of the standout moments she has experienced on her journey so far, the author dedicated a section of her book to her appearance on The Late Late Show in 2019.
Early on in the night, the chef says she was full of nerves and had one important request to make of host Ryan Tubridy. Speaking with the presenter backstage, she asked if the camera operators could shoot her from the shoulders up, keeping her stomach out of shot.
Ryan informed her that they could, of course, do that but he really wished that they wouldn't; he believed her body to be her 'unique selling point' - something that made her beautiful, not something to be ashamed of.
"When I wrote about that in the book, I thought 'oh my god, I'm going to get a restraining order from Ryan Tubridy'," she laughed. "Before I went on, I was nervous and excited but I was also scared that I would say something bad on the show and look like an idiot.
"All of that went away when I met Ryan. For a man who has never suffered from obesity, he had such empathy and I felt very safe. That easily was the best night of my life."
"Plus, my mam got to meet Mary Black backstage," she added, smiling.
With such an incredible journey behind her, and an autobiographical cookbook ready to hit the shelves, what plans does this transformer have for her future?
"I never want to let go of the happiness I found. I used to dream of this. I would dream of what it would be like to go on holidays and be happy or to wake up and not think about my weight - and I got that. I just hope I continue to add time to my life, that I meet somebody, that I write a second book.
"I have no dream now that is unrealistic. Anything I can think of now, I'm doing it. I'm not going to hold myself back anymore. The minute I got out of my own way, I was a different Trish."
Trisha's Transformations is published by Gill Books and is on sale now.
