This past week I realised some things about myself. In my previous year and half I was completely focussed on losing weight…. getting the kilos down. But pleasantly, recently I have realised that now I am interested in getting stronger, faster, better than before and not so much focussed on kilos. My goals are centred around improving my times, my weights and my abilities to do certain things. Today I ran 10km…and it while it wasn’t a piece of cake, it was sure a lot easier than I rthought it was going to be. My whole goal for this particular run was to be consistent in my speed…and I was…and I did it in 1hour 16 (or thereabouts). It felt amazing. And now I look forward to the next event and how much faster and better I can get…the weight that is left is sure to follow when I get busy….

Well after a few months of working as a Personal Trainer I can tell you I am enjoying it a lot and finding the balance between mum and wife and employee is interesting and fun…

I have met some really wonderful people and seen some wonderful changes taking place in people’s lives. It is such an awesome feeling to see that. Becoming a Personal Trainer has been one of the best things I have ever done.

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Personal Trainer you should contact Australian Institute of Personal Trainers as they are the best.

35th Birthday 2010

Every Year since I was a teenager I have dreamed of wearing a red dress….

I imagine how it felt, how it looked….I could hear the swish of the fabric as I walked…It was wonderful. I would look longingly at the windows of dress shops imagining myself wearing those dresses, until I caught a glimps of my reflection in the window..harshly reminding myself that I would ‘never be able to wear something like that!’

Somewhere along the way I realised that I was entirely in charge of that and had the power to get a red dress and make it look fabulous…somehow..if only I knew. And through the help of a fantastic personal trainer and the unwavering love of my amazing family, I finally got healthy and could FIT into a dress!!

Well, this year…on my 35th birthday I went out in a hot red dress and I felt like a million bucks!!! The ress is absolutely gorgeous and I love it. I enjoyed spending the time with my beautiful friends, but also am so proud of myself for achieving a goal and one that made me feel fabulous!

On Sunday I was interviewed in front of over 530 people!!

It was an amazing experience and also the biggest group I have spoken in front of. I watched as people ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ in the appropriate places and I shared my heart! This last year has been pretty interesting…and now I have an opportunity to share this with everyone else. To give hope to other people that they too can lose weight and live healthy fit lives!

So the question of the day was how did you get started?? And I have to say, it was one baby step at a time! Just make small changes and every day tick to that small change and then the next day and so on. Never give up on yourself..even when you have a bad day, for everyone has a bad day. Just put it behind you and keep charging on!

This is me in my uniform!! I love my job!!

One of the most wonderful and magic moments of my time at gym was recently when we had to get staff photos..This is when I realised I was part of a super awesome team of people who are there to change lives! The people I work with are amazing and warm and supportive. Their mixture of talents and gifts are such that everyone can find someone who is a match for their needs in fitness goals… It has been really awesome working with them and I am so blessed to have the most amazing boss in the world, along with beautiful colleagues who I look forward to working with for a very long time!

Today my husband was out of town for work…the four bigger kids went to school, and my baby (who is 3) went to kindy. I went to work…and when I finished at lunch time I realised my whole family was elsewhere and I had free time to do anything!! What an unusual feeling. So I had a liesurely lunch and catch up with a beautiful friend and work colleague and it was wonderful…just to relax and enjoy the time together…two working friends having lunch. As I walked into the cafe one of the girls there commented on my work shirt and I proudly showed it off. I love my job. I have the best boss in the world and I am so proud to be associated with him!!

Last night I watched the new season of the Biggest Loser begin…but this time rom different eyes. I watched it from a position of success. I have been where they are and now I am no longer an obese person. I have felt the things they feel and looked they way they do. I remember standing on my scales, seeing thenumbers change and feeling that amazing feeling of being successful at something!

I think I shall enjoy this season so much more this time. I don’t have to feel guilty that I havent made the changes I ned to make, or feel challenged that I am not good enough because they can do it and I haven’t.

I’ve done it! And if you are reading this and haven’t quite made the changes yet, be encouraged…enjoy the journey with those guys… go get it now, you can change your life too!

This week I ran in the Autralia Day 4.5km race. This is my first race this year…and I wondered how I would go. Every other race I have ever gone in I have come last (or second last) and so I was really determined not to be last. We went early, in the pouring rain, waited in the car for a few mns till it eased and then went and registered for the race. There were 320 competitors….we all gathered outside in the stadium where we were to start from….and after a brief pre race speech, we were off….most people I started with run faster than me so they disappeared into the distance. But I just kept running….and running. It was hurting, but I kept going. I stopped for a drink at the drink station, really just to have a brea for a second or two…then off I went. As I got close to the home stretch, my quadricep muscles burning, I slowed to a walk. The man behind me encouraged me to go on…and we ran together for a bit. I felt like I was going to be sick but I kept running…I did not want to be last.

Around the straight I came…jogging in….and they handed me a number 250!!! I came in 250th!! I beat 70 people…I did not come last….but even better, I wasnt even close to coming last!! That felt totally amazing! I love being able to do these kinds of things…to be able to run, join in with everyone and celebrate being fit and healthy….now just to improve my time over 10km….watch this space!!!

Well, look at that…three weeks into January – where has the time gone? 2009 is over and now we are well into the swing of ‘twenty ten’. As I assess my plans and goals and dreams for thew year I realise I am looking at it from a whole new perspective now. This year I am a healthy fit person making plans for the future…no longer an overweight person needing to lose weight to live…. People look at me differently now, they treat me differently…and I FEEL different!! But when I meet someone now they dont even KNOW that I was overweight!!! It is really awesome to have that happening now…I am ‘normal’….if you know what I mean.

Today is the last day of the year. The end of 2009 and what a year it has been. I have lost almost 90kg, written my first book (which sold in 3 countries during its first week), competed in the anual King of the Hill race, Running Festival 10.5km race, participated in my first ever Triathlon (in the bike leg), finished a Certificate 3 in Fitness, completed all assignments for Certificate 4 (just waiting on marking now), changed my whole outlook on life and am now working with the most amazing, awesome team at Domain Central Fitness in Townsville.

I could not have imagineda more awesome year 12 months ago…

Now comes the challenge….how will I ensure that 2010 is the best year ever? What new things will I challenge and do…it seems I have become accustomed to challenging myself to do big things, and so I will need to look at things and figure out a range of new challenges t try. It may come as no surprise to you that I have already done that and some of these things are:    *to write another book in 2010, help change other people’s lives, do a complete triathlon, finish top 100 in both King of the Hill and running festival (last time I came last in both – out of almost 300 people)….and the list goes on.

What are your goals and desires for the coming year? Have you planned some things to achieve? Have you thought about it? Or have you been consumed in the christmas banter and swept along with the holiday mode? I encourage you to get present to your year and plan something amazing…. you surely deserve to have the best year of your life!! Go get it!!