Obese schoolgirl loses SIX STONE to battle for Junior Olympics swimming gold

A schoolgirl shed six stone (38 kg) to go from clinically obese to junior Olympic athlete. Breanna Bond, 11, weighed 14 stone (89 kg) and her weight made her a target for bullies. Just 14 months ago her mum Heidi decided it was time for Breanna, from California, to get fighting fit.

Now after a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, eight stone (51 kg) Breanna has her sights set on gold at the Junior Olympic Games. Breanna wants to be a triathlete and cheerleader and has already qualified for the 500-yard freestyle swimming competition at the Junior Olympic Games. She said: "I feel like I can move more in sports now and it’s a lot easier for me in cheerleading and cross country. I can just go faster."

Breanna was just two years old when mum Heidi noticed her daughter was gaining weight faster than children her own age. By the age of nine, she was so large she was being bullied at school. Heidi said: "I thought maybe it could have been a thyroid issue, maybe some kind of genetic disorder.” In the end though Heidi realised good old Southern fried cooking was to blame. She said: "We would make fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and chicken fried steak."

They have now launched a website dedicated to Breanna’s weight-loss journey to inspire other children who are overweight. Heidi explained: "It’s an inspirational site to help encourage other children everywhere to get motivated, to exercise and to lose the weight."

source: www.mirror.co.uk

to shed – ledobni (a kilókat)
obese – elhízott
to weigh – valamennyit nyomni
a target for bullies – csúfolódók célpontja
diet – étrend
exercise – mozgás, sportolás
to have one’s sights set – célul kitűzni
triathlete – triatlonista
cheerleader – pom-pom lány
to qualify for – továbbjutni (versenyre)
competition – verseny
cross country running – terepfutás
to notice – észrevenni
one’s own age – saját korabeli
thyroid – pajzsmirigy
genetic disorder – genetikai rendellenesség
in the end  – végül
fried – olajban sütött
is to blame – hibás
to launch – elindítani
overweight – túlsúlyos
to encourage – bátorítani 

True or false?

1. Breanna started sports when she was a small child.

2. Breanna’s weight gain was not caused by health problems.

3. Breanna’s mom realized she had to do something to help her.

4. Breanna will compete at the Junior Olympics.

5. Breanna’s mom used a website to help her lose weight.

answers: 1-F 2-T 3-T 4-T 5-F

Normal
0

false
false
false

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X-NONE

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