Jelena Dokic showed off her body transformation after losing 20kg and spoke candidly about her struggles with depression and an eating disorder.
The professional tennis player, 41, took to Instagram on Sunday to share before and after photos of her weight loss, taken seven years apart, as she detailed her battles with “self-esteem.”
She showed off her impressive body transformation and shared some inspiring words in an accompanying caption as she detailed her mental health struggles.
Jelena emphasized that her weight loss was a byproduct of focusing on her mental health and sharing her battle with depression, anxiety and an eating disorder.
“It’s not about body size, it’s about feeling like I’m not worthy enough to even live. 7 years ago, on the left,” she shared.
‘Even though I’m a little lighter on the right side now, it’s not about weight. Because even if I was half the size on the left side, I would still feel the same. And how is that? I’m not worthy enough to even live!’
She explained that at the time the first photograph was taken, she was afraid to leave her house and was “broken” by her battle with depression and PTSD.
“My face, my body language and even the clothes I wear on the left say it all. That’s how low my self-esteem was. I was afraid to leave the house,” she continued.
Jelena Dokic showed off her transformation after losing 20kg (pictured left seven years ago, and right now) and spoke about her struggles with depression.
‘I couldn’t look people in the eye, I just wanted to dress in black or dark grey and cover myself. I even remember wishing I could somehow cover my face and head completely and not have to leave the house for the rest of my life.
‘This was anxiety, depression, the debilitating effect of trauma that made me feel worthless and not even worthy of living.
‘This was the result of being looked down upon all my life, especially by people close to me.
‘The person on the left was broken, shattered, struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, borderline personality disorder, and an eating disorder. Sometimes I hoped I wouldn’t wake up so I wouldn’t have to feel that way anymore.
“But it’s not about feeling sorry for myself or pitying myself. I didn’t want to be a victim. I wanted to survive and thrive, and I did.”
Jelena then shared an inspiring message about her “courage and resilience” while encouraging others not to give up during these “scary” times.
“Fight hard. Don’t give up every day and as scary as it may be, get out of your comfort zone. It will be easier and more comfortable for you to do so,” she wrote.
‘Keep going even when it’s scary. Be brave and never give up. The way to start feeling good about yourself and your life is to be who you really are and accept and love yourself.
‘Don’t be afraid of mistakes and failures, they make you learn and as long as you get back up, that’s the only thing that matters.
Jelena emphasized that her weight loss was a byproduct of her focus on her mental health, sharing her battle with depression, anxiety and an eating disorder.
‘Never give up on yourself or your goals. Never let yourself be defined by the judgment and comments of others.
‘Your worth is not up for debate and it’s not a group decision. And remember, you are who you decide to be. No one else. So go out and go for it.’
‘Be yourself. Being authentic, real and vulnerable is the way to be happy and prosperous. You are worthy and never let anyone tell you otherwise.’
This isn’t the first time Jelena has spoken openly about her weight loss and improved health, recently detailing how she shed pounds for health reasons.
In June, the Nine commentator shared a post on Instagram comparing her current appearance to how she would look in 2023, when she was 20kg heavier.
In the caption, Jelena explained that she had lost weight due to her family history of diabetes and the fact that she had been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
She stressed that she was happy in both photos and added that weight loss was not the goal but simply a “byproduct” of adopting healthier habits.
“The most important thing is that I am happy and proud in both photos regardless of my weight and that I am always kind,” she began.
This isn’t the first time Jelena has spoken openly about her health journey, recently detailing how she lost pounds for health reasons after being diagnosed with high blood pressure.
“It’s about HEALTH and not SIZE,” she continued. “There are a lot of questions about how to improve my health, which has allowed me to lose weight. Losing weight was not a priority, it’s just a consequence of taking care of my health.”
Jelena clarified those who accused her of extreme dieting: “I didn’t lose weight quickly. I lost 20 kilos in just under 10 months. Not fast at all.”
“I stopped eating late at night, especially things like burgers, pizza, fries and desserts because they made me feel very lethargic when I woke up, especially for work early in the morning and for catching a flight. So I no longer eat heavy meals at night and I don’t eat after 7 p.m.,” she continued.
‘I now eat more salads and soups with my meals, such as chicken Caesar salad or tomato soup with whole wheat bread. This type of food doesn’t make me feel sluggish and fills me up. I now drink more water and have cut back on soda, even diet soda.’
“These are small changes that happen over time and while I still eat cheeseburgers and fries, I do so much less often now and I definitely don’t eat junk food when I work and travel. That’s all,” she concluded.
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