F
or Jessica Clark, school
was a nightmare.
“I was called Jess the
Jabba, after Jabba the Hutt
inStar Wars!” says the 20-year-old.
“Bullies called me a low-life and
told me I’d never have a partner
because I was fat and ugly. They
said I’d never get anywhere career-
wise because nobody would want
tohiremebecauseIwastoobig.”
But after shedding 39kg and
starting her own personal training
business, the Gold Coast girl has
put the bullies in their place.
At her largest Jess weighed 95kg.
Shehadalwaysbeensporty,but
after a knee injury in Year Eight she
couldn’t exercise as much.
The weight started piling on
and Jess became depressed and
self-conscious.She refused to go
out shopping or to parties, and
she hated eating in public.Cruel taunts
“I’d eat lunch in the bathroom so
I didn’t have to worry about people
watching me eat. Or I’d cover my
face or eat in my locker because of
the cruel names they would call
me,” she recalls.
“Then when I started to diet
other kids would bully me about
trying to lose weight.”
Jess bravely kept the bullying
to herself for two and a half
years, but by Year Ten she’d
developed bulimia and her
life was in danger.
“I started to make myself
sick and I had suicidal
thoughts,” she confesses.
Desperate, she fi nally
told her family what was
going on. And with their
support she was able to
make lifestyle changes.
She joined a gym and got
a personal trainer to show
her how to exercise withoutJess has more
body confidence
than as a teen.44 WDREAL LIFE
‘Hey bullies...
Jessica lost 39kg – and put
the mean girls in their place
exacerbating
her knee
problems. She
also changed
her diet, and
the kilos began
dropping off.
Previously,
Jess ate toast
for brekkie,
a sandwich for
lunch and would
snack on lollies.
Dinner consisted
of meat and veg
but she’d often
eat large servings.
Now she eats lean
protein at every
meal, weighs her portions and fi lls
her plate with leafy greens.
A healthy 56kg, Jess uses her
experience to inspire her personal
training clients and takes pride in
seeing their confi dence grow.
“It feels good to know that I can
help others who are going through
what I went through,” she says.
So what would she say if she saw
one of the school bullies these days?
“Look at me now!” she says with
a giant grin.‘At school I’d eat in
my locker because
of the cruel names
people called me’
look at me now
Half my size!
Words: Belinda Wanis. Pictures: NickCubbin/bauersyndication.com.au. Styling: Kirsten Butler. Hair & make-up: Renae Michel. Jess wears Roxy, Lovisa.