Mum-of-three Nikki Kolak always thought being thin would make her happy, but the reality was quite the opposite. She became a nutrition and transformation coach after she quit her job during Covid
Sometimes people think being thinner is always better, but one mum learnt the hard way that this isn’t the case.
Nikki Kolak, from Melbourne, had a diet obsession for years until she realised it was having a big impact on her kids. She now works as a nutrition and transformation coach after she quit her job during Covid.
The mum-of-three, who experienced bulimia as a teenager, said it’s taken a lot of hard work to get to a position where she can help others. Prior to focusing on a career in health, she suffered from an eating disorder, which saw her fall into very restrictive patterns.
When her health started to deteriorate Nikki suddenly began to think “something was wrong with her”, and accessed professional help. She knew her patterns needed to change.
Nikki told news.com.au: “For the longest time I believed getting to the certain number on the scale was going to be my ticket to happiness. I actually convinced myself that I was even bigger than before when I was pregnant.”
During the time she was struggling, Nikki hired a coach to help her on her transformation journey. Now she knows that this “toxic” relationship worked to trigger her eating disorder.
She said it felt like she would be “proud” of her if she managed to get through the hunger. As a result of the eating disorder, Nikki confessed other things suffered too – such as her work life, her marriage and how she connected with her children.
“My eldest was getting into her teenage years and I realised if I kept doing I was going to screw her up,” added Nikki. When the mum was growing up, she said it was normal for people to comment on what women looked like, and she didn’t want to pᴀss this habit onto her children.
Nikki admitted she would be “fat-shaming” and “body-shaming” herself a lot in front of them so it must have had an impact. She wanted to change for her children as much as herself.
She said: “I was always really sick. I never had energy. I was getting heart palpitations and my health was deteriorating as well. And it was all because of all the things that I was doing.”
In time Nikki decided she wanted to help other people as well as herself. As she “lives and breathes” nutrition, she decided to focus on wellness as a profession.
The mum studied nutrition and coaching, and went onto found her own business called Make It Fit With Nikki. She even shares snaps of her own body transformation to show how far she’s progressed.
Alongside a recent snap she shared an emotive caption that summed up her journey. She admitted she went through a lot to get to where she is today.
Nikki wrote: “I felt sad looking at that pH๏τo because I was like ‘oh my god, you were so unhappy and you’re smiling for this pH๏τo like you’re happy. I’ve since deleted the original pH๏τo off my Instagram, but I did have it on there before I realised what I was doing to myself to show how determined and dedicated I was – but I didn’t explain how I got there.”