Kerry’s loss the book world’s gain

By Shaun Inguanzo
A KEYSBOROUGH woman who lost 22 kilograms in six months has written a weight loss book to inspire others.
But according to author Kerry Kwestroo, the book, Exquisite Creations, is not just another fad diet – she insists it is the advice of a working woman who knows what it is like to be overweight.
The Keysborough resident and nurse at Monash Hospital three years ago weighed 90 kilograms and said she felt unhappy with the clothes she was wearing.
“I felt very tired and sluggish … I wasn’t happy,” she said.
Ms Kwestroo said it was through her work that she discovered her weight posed a threat to her health.
“I was working in the stroke ward one day and I realised that the people there were younger than I was,” she said. “I was 43, and they were overweight and had bad habits, so the penny dropped and I realised I was overweight and had bad habits.”
Ms Kwestroo said her weight-induced fatigue and busy lifestyle had driven her to eat junk food and drink alcohol regularly. She decided to make a change for the better, so she read books on weight loss, nutrition and healthy exercise. She broke her meals up into smaller portions, began exercising, and allowed time to focus on herself.
Six months later, Ms Kwestroo had lost 22 kilograms and had more energy.
Ms Kwestroo said she learned to read labels and found she could eat regular foods in moderation.
“I wanted to put meals on the table that tasted nice for my husband, too,” she said. “A lot of low-fat cooking was not suitable, so I developed recipes we could eat.”
So successful was Ms Kwestroo’s weight-loss regime that friends and colleagues continually asked her how she lost her weight.
“Then they would go away and I always thought I should have told them this or that, so I put it in a book.”
After taking a year to write the book, Ms Kwestroo and her husband spent $2500 to self-publish it and to date have sold more than 400 copies.
The book is available at a variety of local newsagents and stores. For more information or to order the book, visit www.exquisitecreations.com.au