TWO Wimmera principals have made big life changes in order to lose weight.
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Donald Primary School principal Danny Forrest and Horsham West and Haven Primary School principal Andrew Parry appeared on the television show This Time Next Year last week.
The show follows the lives of people over 12 months as they make their ambitions a reality.
Mr Forrest said the pair had been friends for 17 years after meeting as opponents on the footy field.
“We had both been yo-yo dieters forever and we decided it was time to do something about it,” he said.
The pair pledged on the television show to lose 100 kilograms between them in one year.
Mr Forrest said since making that promise, their lives had totally changed.
“I battled a fair bit at the start particularly – I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have,” he said.
“We didn’t lose the 100 kilograms in the end, but we got pretty close.”
Mr Forrest lost about 40 kilograms and Mr Parry lost 46 kilograms.
Mr Forrest said one the major changes he made was giving up beer for a year.
“Not since early teens can I say that I have done that – and I still haven’t had a beer,” he said.
“I also can’t remember the last time I drank a soft drink – I think I tried one five to six months ago and tipped it down the drain, it was far too sweet.”
Mr Forrest said he had lost 34 centimetres from his stomach.
“I recently had my annual health check-up and I am now in the bottom 2.5 per cent for chances of heart attacks and chances of serious illness for my age group,” he said.
Mr Forrest said he got up at 5.30am every day now to exercise.
“I feel like I could climb Mt Everest,” he said.
“I feel mentally and physically different and we’ve both made big life changes.”
Mr Forrest said they did make one rookie mistake though.
“Don’t go on a television show to lose weight and start the weight loss before your first film date,” he said.
Mr Parry lost 10 kilograms and Mr Forrest lost seven kilograms before the show was filmed.
Mr Forrest said the experience of being on television was also unlike anything else.
“It was totally different,” he said.
“We filmed for about seven to nine days and television crews came to Donald and Ballarat.
“Being in the studio was strange too – having to sit in the make-up chair for two hours, go to wardrobe and have photo shoots done.”
The pair have recently been awarded study grants with Victorian Principals Association.
”Next year we are off to the USA to study and attend conferences with a focus on health, wellbeing, community building and positive relationships,” Mr Forrest said.
“It’s a trip we are both looking forward to.”