If you had told Gabbie a year ago that she would lose nearly 40 kilos, feel full of energy, and love working out, she probably wouldn’t have believed you. But now, just six months into her journey with 28 by Sam Wood, she’s done just that and completely transforming her lifestyle.
Watch her Testimonial Video
The Wake up call
Like many of us, Gabbie had settled into the idea that her weight and lifestyle were simply part of her genetics.
“My grandmother was larger. My mum and her sisters are all bigger. A lot of my cousins are the same. So I just got to a point where I was like, it doesn’t matter, that’s where I’m going to go.”
But everything changed when she took a Disney cruise in January last year. She paid for a photo package, but when she saw the pictures, she couldn’t bring herself to share them.
“I looked at myself and I did not share any of them… That was my moment.”
That moment of realization led her to an article about the 28 program.
“I thought, it’s not going to hurt me. I can start one meal a day. I’ve got nothing to lose.”
A Routine That Works
What started as a simple change—swapping just one meal a day—became a complete lifestyle shift. One of her biggest breakthroughs? Cutting out soft drinks completely.
“It was my guilty pleasure. I’d been trying to stop for ages, and then I just stopped. I didn’t even think about it. My mum bought me one two weeks later, and I felt so sick.”
She also built a sustainable meal plan that works for her busy schedule:
- Breakfast: Smoothies Monday to Friday.
- Lunch: Meal prepping 28 meals on Sundays for Monday to Thursday.
- Dinner: Family-friendly 28 recipes—her favorite is the Smash Tacos (with fries, once she realized they were part of the meal!).
Finding Joy in Movement
Before joining 28, Gabbie didn’t exercise at all. She drove to work, sat at her desk all day, and had no structured movement. Now, she walks 20 minutes to work from the train station, takes a half-hour walk at lunch, and chooses walking over emails whenever she can.
“I started out with 28 minutes a day. I’d leave the office, walk for 14 minutes one way, turn around, and walk back. Now, I just walk. I don’t even time it—I just enjoy it.”
At home, she loves Dance Fit with Lucy, even if she doesn’t always get the timing right.
“Most of the time I can’t finish them, but I love doing them. I can completely let go and just be a massive dork in my bedroom.”
The Biggest Lesson?
One of the most powerful things Gabbie learned was that small, consistent actions add up. She never felt the need to work out for hours, just staying consistent was enough.
“People think you need to work out for an hour and a half every day. I don’t. I do what I can, when I can. If I’m too run down, I take a break. But I keep going.”
What’s Next?
Gabbie isn’t stopping now. Her next goal? Dropping another five kilos by her birthday, which will put her under 100kg for the first time in over a decade.
“I’m the lightest I’ve been since before I had my daughter.”
Her mindset has completely shifted—healthy choices are now second nature.
“Even if I’m eating out, I’m making a healthier choice because I’ve got the bones of the information that I need.”
For anyone hesitant to start their own journey, Gabbie has one simple message:
“Just try it. Even if you don’t think it’s going to work, the worst that can happen is nothing changes. But the best that can happen? You change your life.”
And she did exactly that.
