From Overweight To Triathlete, Woman Makes Incredible Transformation

Elle Goodall was a self-confessed fast food addict - the 29-year-old Queenslander says she would have about three large meals per sitting to quell her hunger.

At her heaviest, the Australian woman was 184kg (28.9 stone/405lbs).

But she reached a fork in the road when doctors told her she wouldn't make it past 40 years old if she continued eating the way she did.

Still, they couldn't have anticipated the changes Elle would make, as she went from being so overweight that she couldn't tie her own shoelaces to competing as a triathlete.

Elle dropped 115kgs and eventually weighed 69kg, thanks to a rigorous exercise and diet regime. She's told Channel Nine's Today: "I was going through a really big change in my life and I wanted something that was going to be a huge challenge.

"The triathlon has always been the ultimate for me - it's three sports in one... I'm incredibly proud of myself for doing that."

The 29-year-old added to the Cairns Post: "I couldn't even tie my own shoes up - things that most people take for granted, I couldn't do. I couldn't sit down on the ground and get back up.

"Now, I just want to prove to people that if you reach that point, there is something you can do, and you can save your own life.

After conquering her first triathlon, at Creek's Dirt n' Dust Festival, last year, she set her sights on the Noosa triathlon. Elle completed both of those, so she soon wanted a new long-distance challenge. Sure enough, she finished the Cairns Ironman event in June with a time of six hours, 45 minutes.

In an Instagram post in July, Elle reflected on her incredible journey.

It reads: "To say I'm proud of my journey so far is an understatement - to the point I cry when I watch the replay of my sunrise interview, over and over and over again.

"I cry because of how proud I am. In less than two years, I have turned my life around from nearly losing my battles with weight and fast food to becoming an 'Ironman', and I have been so lucky to have some amazing people along on the ride."

Elle's advice for others struggling with weight or motivation issues is to avoid making excuses.

Featured Image Credit: Elle Goodall/Instagram

Topics: Weight Loss

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie