Stats Before After Height 165cm 165cm Weight 68.1kg 59.8kg Chest 84cm 82cm Waist 66.5cm 63cm Calves 41cm 39cm Arms 27cm 25.5cm Thighs 59cm 54cm Hips 100cm 94cm

What motivated me to become involved in the 12-week Challenge? When I first registered for the Challenge I was working for a local health club. By all means I wasn’t the fattest girl but I certainly wasn’t the thinnest.

The club was getting ready for its first 12-week Challenge but as the start date fell three days before my 21st I decided to give it a miss. Watching everyone crack down on their eating and fitness, I gave my own Challenge a half-hearted attempt, but not having anyone to answer to didn’t really motivate me.

My moment of shock came when I weighed myself. My weight had crept up to 71.2kgs. I was always an exerciser but it was my large meals and snacks, and my ability to justify everything I ate that brought me down. I was disgusted. On my own, I managed to get down to 68.1kgs before I decided I needed to do it right.

I always used to pick up Women’s Health & Fitness and found myself being drawn to the 12-week BodyBlitz Challenge success stories.

I liked that I could start the Challenge when I was ready to do it by my own terms.

Working in a gym was both an advantage and a disadvantage. I was surrounded by fit, healthy and knowledgeable people to motivate me, as well as a free membership – but after being there for 10 hours a day, the last thing I wanted to do was stay another two hours and workout.

I started by doing what I liked, which was RPM classes and jogging outside. I surprised myself with how quickly my fitness picked up. I went from jogging for two minutes then walking for another, to jogging for 30 minutes at a time. At this stage, my partner had started working out with me.

He would do his weights workouts while I did my cardio, and was a constant source of positive affirmations. I started running on the treadmill to get my workout over and done with while at the gym. The first time I attempted to run 5kms it took me over 34 minutes. I still remember saying to my partner that one day I would run 5kms in under 30 minutes. I can now happily say that I not only met that goal but ran it in just under 28 minutes.

The challenges that I faced during the Challenge were definitely at the end. Finishing the Challenge after Christmas, but before New Year was hard as everyone was tucking in and enjoying good food.

I never denied myself though. I always let myself have a little of everything so I never felt like I was missing out.

The other hurdle that I had to overcome was a big one, and one that I had always tripped on during all my other unsuccessful weight loss attempts, which was settling back into my old habits once I felt ‘thin.’ At these times, I would literally drag myself to the gym and just reinforce my routine.

The benefits, I have gained are far better than any food I feel I might have missed out on during the Challenge.

I’m now able to fit comfortably in clothes that never fitted properly before, I feel more confident when I go out in public and I feel that clothes look better on me now. Since completing the Challenge, I definitely
put more effort into my appearance.

I have been so inspired by my workmates during their classes and our shared workouts that I have decided to pursue my certificate to teach group fitness classes.

All in all, this is not just a 12-week Challenge, but a kickstart for the rest of my life.