Living and Training from the Inside Out

Most people think about training and exercise as something that we do for our body to look better, that it's about changing the outside, but what's not the whole story.

Making the decision to take action and start a training program can also cause profound shifts within as well. When I started exercising, long before I became a fitness trainer, it was to lose the 40kgs I had gained during pregnancy, an 'outside-focused' motivation.

I wasn't sure I could do it, after all my Mum never lost her pregnancy weight, my body had changed, I was looking after a small baby, where would I find the time?

I made a plan so I knew what I needed to do physically, and I did it everyday, whether I felt like it or not, I stopped eating 'junk food' and ate much more fresh, unprocessed food instead. After a few weeks, I discovered a few changes within me that I hadn't anticipated.

I actually enjoyed the tastes & textures of so many fruits and vegetables and that when I noticed physical changes of carrying less weight, clothes fitting differently, being able to move more easily, it was wonderful.

I could see and feel the results of my decision, it empowered me to keep going and I began to realise that I liked being fitter, I had more energy & felt happier.

I've since seen this happen many times over with clients who start training for one reason and go on to discover myriad benefits in their life that they did not expect:

• more energy in everyday life
• no more 3pm energy slump
• breathing easier
• feeling stronger and more confident
• no more anti-depressant medication required (in consultation with GP)
• more flexibility of movement
• better quality of sleep
• and my favourite...
• being able to conduct a meeting after walking up 3 flights of stairs to the meeting room

Whether your motivation is internal or external, use it, start today and see the results of your decision in action.

Back Yourself A Winner!

The importance of setting goals and challenges, in life and in training, cannot be underestimated; if you don't know where you're headed, how do you know when you get there?

My clients all set training goals and challenges for themselves, whether it's to power through an extra rep or two of a heavy weights session, or to get up 15 minutes earlier to jog around the oval in the morning.

Setting and meeting a challenge you set for yourself is an amazing & empowering experience that spurs you on to your next success. As a reward for your motivation & enthusiasm, you can now Back Yourself A Winner.

At the start of each month, set yourself a Monthly Challenge to be met within 30 days, and win back the cost of a training session. Every three months, set a Quarterly Challenge and win back the cost of an entire week's training!

The Challenges are determined by you and your health & fitness goals and should be realistic so that you get there day by day, week by week, doing what you have said you will do for yourself.

So what's your Challenge? (Handy Hint: linking your Monthly Challenge to your Quarterly Challenge helps you achieve your goals more efficiently)