“Anything is possible if you want it bad enough”
My journey in the fitness and personal training industry started in 2007 and at the time, I was still raising a young family. This career choice has subsequently had a huge and positive impact on not just myself and my clients, but also my children as they have both chosen careers in health and fitness. I am fortunate to have an overwhelming passion for learning, fitness and nutrition, because this curiosity and interest has been at the core of my experiences in my own life, and as a trainer. It has also driven my thirst to learn as much as I can on the subject, so that I can deliver my clients the best and most accurate advice and information.
I had been involved in high intensity, competitive sports before I contemplated the fitness industry as a career. Through marathon to triathlon and trail running, I developed a high level of physical endurance, but more critically, I became aware of the importance of mindset in sport and life. These types of sports take you out of your comfort zone over and over again and it is when you are pushed to these unfamiliar places that your mindset begins to change and strengthen. I have certainly found that having a positive and strong mindset has helped me to get through many, many challenges that life has thrown at me. After seven years as a competitor, I began my career as a trainer in earnest. In a field amongst incredibly stiff competition, I was recognised with the Champion Trainer award by the Australian Institute of Fitness.
My career in fitness began shortly after the birth of my second child, who is now almost 18. And over those years, I have experienced many and varied events, achievements and major milestones. I have to say, being a positive role model for my children throughout their growing years ranks as one of my greatest achievements to date.
As a parent, there is little more satisfying than raising your children to enjoy optimum health. Central to this is nutrition, and in the case of my children, this has had a profound affect on their lives and career choices. Sport, fitness and fun have been an integral part of our lives from the very beginning. My children saw me participate in triathlons, and from the ages of 5 and 7, they have also been involved as well. They enjoyed it to the extent that my daughter is now pursuing her dream to become a professional triathlete. My knowledge of nutrition, mindset and strength and endurance training has supported her to pursue this path. On the other hand, my son has found his love and passion in competitive surfing. For both of them, the correct nutrition, training and recovery are critical for optimum performance. Mindset has also been paramount.
And this is not just true for elite athletes. We all perform better, in every aspect of our lives when we are nourishing and exercising our bodies properly, and are taking the time to recover, find balance, and love ourselves as well. It’s a little like putting together a unique puzzle.
Personally, taking care of my body through an optimum nutrition and fitness regime has helped me enormously when it comes to issues such as dealing with early menopause. I am all too familiar with the dreaded hormonal imbalances, change of perspective, emotional disruption and other challenges that menopause brings. Nurturing your body physically helps to develop and strengthen a mindset which gets you through the many and varied obstacles that life throws at you. While I have been aware of the benefits of strength training since I was 30, now, at 48 my understanding of the benefits it has on the female body (not only to look and feel great, but also the way it supports bone density as we age), has only increased. When I see my clients re-discovering themselves and creating strong, fit, healthy bodies, it makes me incredibly happy and proud of them.
I think perhaps that it is the combination of my own experiences as a sporting competitor, a trainer, a mother and someone who, at 51 years of age is finally happy, healthy and comfortable in my own skin that makes my clients feel comfortable to work with me. I have lived a life with all the ups and downs that can be expected, so I can empathise with others. The way I train my clients is based on the culmination of my life’s experiences, rather than straight out of a text book. And I like to think I walk the talk. I would never ask a client to do something that I either haven’t done, or wouldn’t do myself.
Living in this glorious part of the world allows me to exercise in the open elements, on the beaches and in the stunning Noosa National Park. From stand up paddling to trail running, everything is better out in the sunshine and fresh air. I still have the freedom to make choices about the level to which I want to compete and train myself, and am a long way from hanging up my boots! I am a lifelong learner who will always be fascinated by health and fitness and I feel extremely privileged that my clients choose me to share their own health, fitness and self-discovery journeys with.
