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This isn't our Brand Ambassador's first 12 Week Challenge rodeo. In 2013, mum of two Jess Connelly dropped 11kg to win the Transformation category for her club and then backed it up by topping the leader board for Queensland in the Fitter Faster Stronger category earlier this year.
Currently competing in her third Challenge, if you follow her advice you too could find yourself on stage at the 12 Week Challenge dinner showing off your hot new bod, with a trophy and giant cheque in hand!
We're now half way through Goodlife's 12 Week Challenge and I'm sure many of you are starting to see some amazing results.
You're probably pushing your mind and body to limits you never thought possible and starting to feel pain and muscle soreness that you may not have experienced before. This Challenge is a tough one and takes dedication and determination, so just remember that the moment you want to quit, is the moment you need to keep pushing to achieve the best results!
I started my health and fitness journey with Goodlife Health Clubs 18 months ago when I signed up for my first 12 Week Challenge, competing in the Transformation category. Over the 12 weeks I found myself on a roller coaster of emotions. I had a complete overhaul of my diet, became educated about nutrition and commenced a training program that has completely changed my life.
I can honestly say that I found the first four weeks the hardest. I was so excited to get started but was still relatively new to the whole 'gym scene' and some would say I was a little impatient when it came to seeing my weight loss on the scales.
However, I stuck to my training program, was diligent and consistent with my nutrition and at the six week point my results were not only apparent to me, but also to my trainer and fellow gym buddies.
From personal experience I know the 12 Week Challenge will be full of ups and downs and require commitment and sacrifices, but it will be so worth it in the end. Remember why you started, stay focussed and give yourself no other option than to succeed! Here are my top 5 tips to staying motivated:
When it comes to your diet, if you fail to plan then plan to fail. Put time aside every weekend to prepare your lunches for the following week. I like to do this on Sunday afternoon and then again on Wednesday night. To stop myself from caving to sugar cravings or reaching for an unhealthy snack, I always make sure my fridge is full of hard boils eggs, my healthy breakfast muffins, shaved turkey from the deli, oven roasted chicken breast and sweet potato. If you emptied out my handbag you'd also find a banana, almonds and a protein shake, just so I'm prepared if hunger strikes when I'm away from home!
Make training your non-negotiable. This may require some juggling and a few sacrifices, but having your health and fitness as a priority will be one of the best decisions you'll ever make. It's crucial to find the time to look after your health.Your family and friends will understand.
Rather than having your focus set on being a certain weight or certain size by the end of the 12 weeks, look at the Challenge as the first step in the right direction to becoming the best possible version of yourself, for you! As a mum, a wife, a business owner and working full time, I always found myself doing things for everyone else. That all changed when I joined the gym and made a promise to myself to find the time to add my own health and fitness to the list of priorities. I didn't want to let myself down and I can honestly say that I am so proud of everything that I have achieved over the last 18 months.
This is a great opportunity to get an extra training session in each week and meet like-minded people on the same health and fitness journey and I guarantee you'll end up keeping each other motivated by sharing stories and swapping recipes. Make sure you take advantage of the before, halfway and final measurements, too. Progress photos are a great way to see how far you've come and a sure-fire way to give you am extra boost of motivation.
I found that the weeks where I lost the most weight or noticed the biggest changes in my body were when I trained smart and hard, ate right but gave my body the chance to rest and recover. Thanks to the advice and coaching from my trainer, I quickly realised that I needed to allow my body the time to repair in order for me to get the best results. Your body will love you for it and you'll return to the gym the next week feeling fresh and stronger than before!
I am not a personal trainer or fitness professional, I'm just like you - a normal person trying to make a positive change by living a healthy and active lifestyle. I'm still learning about nutrition and trying new training techniques and I am so passionate about what the 12 Week Challenge program has to offer. It has honestly changed my life and I can't wait to see all the new success stories that come out of this round.
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