Stats Before After Height 174cm 174cm Weight 69.5kg 63.5kg Chest 92cm 88cm Waist 86cm 80cm Calves 33.5cm 33.5cm Arms 29cm 27cm Thighs 59cm 53cm Hips 101cm 98.5cm

I’ve battled with my weight my whole life and at my heaviest, weighed 105 kilograms. Throughout the years I managed to work the weight off, however it was never through any type of health and fitness regime. I decided to take on the 12-Week Bodyblitz challenge for various reasons. I wanted to become fit for the first time in my life and tighten those areas that had stretched over my heavier years. I also have a four-year old daughter and wanted to start teaching her the importance of looking after your body and being the best you can be.

I had been going to my personal trainer Matt for around four months, but needed to increase my training. After a few weeks with Matt’s guidance and my determination, I noticed a huge difference in my aerobic fitness and strength.

I loved the change that was happening to me physically, and began including running sessions, body pump classes and training sessions at home a few mornings per week.

I began running during week seven and to my amazement, ran six kilometres on my first attempt and 10.3km on my second – a fantastic accomplishment for me considering I had never been a runner! I was feeling amazing.

I hit a massive hurdle during week nine (one of my biggest training weeks), when I realised I’d put on weight and was instantly shattered. This suddenly brought up old body issues, which were extremely confronting. Yet my trainer helped me work through and overcame them, and I soon realised just how far I’d come.

This challenge has completely changed my life and I am now mentally and physically stronger. I love what training and good nutrition has done for my body and mind. My daughter is also learning the importance of healthy eating and at the end of each day, asks me to show her what I’ve done during training. Once I show her, she mimics my actions, which is hilarious – it goes to show that your children take in everything you do. By giving my daughter an understanding of the importance of exercise, she too can learn that it’s fun and should be part of a healthy lifestyle.

I have now decided to become a personal trainer and use the study, alongside my own experience, to become a healthier person and hopefully make a difference in other people’s lives as well c