Tanya is so lucky to still be alive! Read her inspiring story of determination and strength

After being diagnosed with a terrifying health condition and enduring a year of tests and surgeries, leaving her often bed-bound, Tanya shares what initially started as 61 days of consistent exercise to better her health, all of a sudden has landed her nearly 1500 days down the track of finally seeing the 44 year old women that she longed to see for so many years. 

Tanya also thanks Zing Wellbeing for restoring her love of cooking and giving her some Zing back with her energy!

Let's rewind the clock back a little and share Tanya's story…

It was the year 2021 and it started off with so much anticipation and excitement as my fourth child’s pending arrival was coming closer.

I had that feeling that he needs to be born early however, my Doctor’s tended to not agree and l was scheduled for a caesarean 2 days prior to going full term with my pregnancy.

I arrived in the theatre feeling excited, yet not long after l felt quite unwell, and this only continued throughout his delivery as l glanced to the side and saw the Umbilical cord being cut and my beautiful baby boy.

There were some arguments happening in the background from the medical team whilst this was occurring and l was left hoping to feel better soon so l could cuddle my baby.

Eventually l got to and he was honestly like my little ray of sunshine and it made me smile from ear to ear.

It hadn’t been an easy journey having children after numerous miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies and countless operations for Endometriosis so this was truly a blessing.

As l settled into life at home with four children l continued to feel unwell, this was the start of a battle that would almost take my life.

The countless visits for tests, visits to Doctors, hospitals and trying so very hard to have my voice heard only to be told there is nothing wrong.

Tanya's diagnosis

There was in fact something wrong so l gave it my all to get the help that l needed.

I was then told l had Placenta Accreta, a life threatening condition and required treatment straight away.

Bare in mind this occurred months following the birth of my son and the staff knew it was amazing l was still alive.

I would go on to have many more tests and operations that left me stuck in the chair or in bed for most of the year.

The heart complications followed my last operations and motivated me to start the 61 days of exercising journey.

I was aware that l needed this time to embed exercises into a daily habit within my mindset. It was what happened during this time that l noticed that l was starting to notice a shift with my mental health and it was working.

That encouraged me to push out my next goal to a 100. With every goal that l got to l gave myself a reward that aligned with my goals with exercise it may have been new shoes, activewear or a massage and this helped with being able to acknowledge and celebrate the wins we so often overlook and that l had for most of my life.

Every milestone l also took the time to reflect on what l truly wanted to focus on as there’s been times in this journey that life has dealt me some massive challenges that have previously led to me giving up on my goals.

This time however, it was different. l was really starting to believe that the exercise was helped me so much that l needed to find a way to navigate around any challenge that l was faced with.

There's been times of injuries another excuse l could have really used where l pivoted to thinking isolate that area of your body and just focus on what you can do today. It was on those days that the after feeling of exercise just hit different and felt even better as l backed myself.

I’ve had so many reasons that my old self would have allowed to surrender too along this journey of 1500 days and certainly the hardest day was the day after my late partner passed away where after the experience of the shock, the sheer devastation to my mind and body l told myself that this is what will help me get through even if someday’s that was all l did that was ok.

There has honestly been so many personal moments of self-discovery that l have had on this journey that have changed my life around in ways l could have only wished for.

Taking photo's throughout has been something that at times it has been confronting as we can judge ourself so harshly, yet when l would then look back at these photo's l could see the transformation on those days when l wasn’t feeling it.

It motivated me to keep going and to take the time for the photo's and to speak more kindly of myself, to look myself in the mirror and to love what l was seeing, scars and all.

It has taught me to really feel into how l'm feeling and that l have a choice to acknowledge those feelings and the ability to shift them through moving my body.

One of the biggest learnings has been being grateful that l can move my body.

For so many years of my life this movement was so painful. I would wake up in excruciating pain and everything that followed was that bit harder to do.

That feeling still motivates me to this day and truly has been the best gift that l could have ever given myself in life.

December 2023

September 2025

The gift of prioritising what l needed to be the best version of myself, to being ok with how l was as long as l kept showing up even when life was messy and tough and to start pouring that love that l was giving to everyone else back into myself.

Pics Below

July 2022

July 2025

To July 2025, still consistently exercising, working towards my 1500 days in a row in December this year!

Focus is a strong core and improving lower body strength.

When day 1500 comes around know that while l’m celebrating this milestone with all my heart it has really made me see and believe that if l can shift my life around that it really is possible for anyone to do this and that l why l absolute love cheering other women on in their journeys as it is the most beautiful journey of self-discovery and of coming home to you.