Well, there you have it! This is me 6 short months (26 wee weeks) into my Small Group Personal Training Program and I have to admit I am chuffed to bits with my progress so far!! For as looooong as I can remember I have ‘tried’ to achieve definition and muscle tone on my own, doing one thing or another, and I can honestly say that nothing I have ever tried has given me such visible results as this program.
Not only have I significantly toned up my body but wait for this…. I have actually reduced my body composition by over 10 years… seriously!! At 19% I now have the lean body fat percentage of a woman between 31 and 35yrs. So since I last posted on this blog I not only chalked up another birthday but reduced my body composition by over a decade….how bad eh?? Happy days!!
My initial goal was to lose some weight and tone up and I successfully achieved that within the first 12 weeks but what I have found since is that although I may not have changed hugely in appearance (I never wanted to be skinny) I continued to reduce my body fat and not only get leaner but also stronger….SO much stronger!! Now trust me, I have no desire to be a bulky weight lifter and thankfully my trainers are aware of this. All I want to continue to do is to stay lean, get stronger and fitter.
I was a little disappointed, believe it or not, at my 6 month review because my ‘numbers’ hadn’t dropped down a huge amount but then Mike made me aware just how much I had achieved for a woman of 44 years. I was not only waaaay into the lean category for a woman of my age but also into the lean category for someone much much younger. I was reminded of what my weights were when I first started out compared to the weights I am able to lift now. As an example, when I started I was squatting with a 15kg dumbbell and finding it tough and now I am back-squatting 55kgs for 4 sets of 12 reps!! I am able to lift so much heavier than I thought possible and I feel great for it. The program has thoroughly strengthened my back, my core, my legs and my shoulders and arms. I have much more muscle definition and without it being bulky.
For me to get any leaner at this stage I would have to perform to an athletes regime, training at least twice a day and watching every macro nutrient I consume…. Not for me!! I am not willing to sacrifice family time nor do I honestly have the time to spare. I don’t have the desire to compete, fair play to those who do, it’s just not for me though. Personally I am thrilled to have reached the level I have, I have never felt fitter or healthier in my entire life than I do now. My cardio levels were absolutely dire when I started, I was gasping for breath with the sheer mention of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and now it is incorporated into each of my workouts not to mention a session a week of HIIT alone. 
I took part in our inhouse FitRanx fitness testing in Ozone on the day of my 44th birthday and passed Level 4, a great way to begin a new ‘Louise’ year!! Yes, I will admit, there are times during training when I have felt like throwing up and I will be honest I even once shed tears in the middle of mountain climbers followed by burpees because I felt so exhausted and I questioned myself ‘What the hell are you doing to yourself???’ but then once the blast of hormones passed I knew I had already known the answer….I am doing this for ME! I am pushing myself to be healthier, fitter, more confident and an all round happier person. I am teaching myself you don’t have to ‘give up’ when you reach a certain stage in your life. I am learning that nothing good comes easy but all good things come to those who get off their arse and stop waiting for it to be handed to you. I am discovering how to lead by example, willpower, mental and physical strength, acceptance, pride, encouragement, drive, determination, honesty and accountability.
At the beginning I kept telling myself… ‘It’ll get easier, it HAS to get easier, another few weeks I will be well able’ now I know, it doesn’t actually get easier, I have just gotten stronger, in every way, and I know there’s no stopping me now! I have genuinely never felt so accepting of my body and it’s not just about the ‘appearance’ God knows I am far from perfect and I’m well aware I still have my wobbly bits, but it’s honestly the realisation of what this body can actually achieve when it is nourished, nurtured and maintained. There is noone out there that’s going to do this for you, it’s this simple, ‘if you want something you’ve never had then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done’. Age is without doubt only a number – anything is possible!
If you would like to be a part of this life changing program, pop some details here!
Until next time,
Louise
