At the age of seventeen I finished Matric and had no hesitation in studying to become a personal trainer. I studied and saved for 6 months to fund my practical training in Wales, and at eighteen I returned from my year abroad independent, strong and determined to start my career ahead. I opened a mobile personal training business which soon turned into a thriving private gym in the Musgrave area in Durban. Throughout the following years I studied to become an exercise specialist, enrolled in a variety of nutrition courses, completed an additional course in behavioural kinesiology, and my business flourished from one gym into three.

At this stage I was actively working as a personal trainer within my business, until my very exciting adventure on The Biggest Loser began – what an experience! Wrapping up the show after an incredible twelve weeks, I was moved and overwhelmed by the emotion and courage I had witnessed. I was more determined than ever to focus on a market that I felt had been overlooked: The obese nation needed help!

It hadn’t yet been three weeks into the airing of the show before I started receiving calls from a sea of people in need. What they needed was a similar experience, but without the cameras. Thus, The Lisa Raleigh Weight Loss and Wellness Clinic was born. The license has been sold to clinics in Johannesburg and Cape Town with many more franchises and licenses on the horizon. It is also important for me to mention that I feel I have the best job in the world! Giving a person their life back after years of weight trouble is unbelievably rewarding; then giving them the tools to succeed long after they have left my hands is life-changing.

My passion now is to write and speak on motivation, raising levels of consciousness, busting the many false myths in circulation today and equipping individuals with the knowledge to make them survivors in today’s manic world. I speak on various radio stations, enjoy public speaking and write for a variety of magazines and papers. I am proud to have transformed the lives of local celebrities such as Darren Scott and Sam Cowen, and am driven towards helping others take their wellness into their own hands. I also coach people through an empowering entrepreneurial programme where they learn how to own their own wellness business to become financially fit as well.

There is still so much to be done to educate our current population and inspire them to be better. We need to help realize the positive potential of future generations through serious action. I am so excited to be a part of the Keep It Real Team, as its message is an important one. To the all- important viewers: this show will encourage you to adopt a holistic approach to wellness and fitness, to inspire your mind with positive affirmations, to set yourselves goals and to visualize your dreams! Society is finally beginning to take responsibility in recognising the relationship between taking care of our minds, transforming our bodies, and nourishing our souls. I am excited to be a part of this project that will assist in building your knowledge and equipping you with the tools to better your own health and wellness – and ultimately living your best life!