idecided to embark on the 12-week challenge when my third child was three months old and my other children were four and two. I had been aware of the challenge, but this was the first real opportunity I had to commit to it.

After feeling like I had been pregnant or breastfeeding for nearly five years I decided it was time to do something for myself and at the same time set a good example for my kids.

The thought of having to take the after photos spurred me on, and I enlisted the expertise of the team of trainers at Fitness Junction. Steve, Dean, Bel and Scott provided great encouragement and constantly motivated me with varied and challenging workouts, keeping me on track to realise my goal of losing 9kg.

Their advice was invaluable over the challenge, especially the weeks when the scales reached a plateau. This can be demoralising, especially when you are training hard, but the explanation and encouragement they provided helped me push on.

I was breastfeeding my baby during the challenge so I needed to balance good nutrition with a low fat diet in order burn excess calories while retaining a healthy milk supply. I was hungry a lot and had to make sure I was consuming healthy foods. I ate plenty of fresh fruit and made sure I drank plenty of water.
The early weeks of the challenge were quite difficult as my home routine was virtually non-existent with a new baby. Fitting in exercise around feeds was problematic at times and I had to enlist the help of my tireless mum to babysit. My husband was also a constant support and did his best to ensure I had the time to fit exercise into my day. He even rewarded me with a shopping spree for some new clothes on completion!

As most mums will attest, dinner times with a young family can be trying, but this was made even harder as I wanted us all to eat the same foods at dinner. My girls were exposed to new meal combinations and as a result are more willing to experiment with food.

As the challenge progressed I looked forward to the exercise and was enjoying eating healthy food. I have always maintained a reasonable diet, but cutting out many processed foods – especially snacks with the kids – really made a difference. I now have a very open dialogue with my girls about healthy food and they have a new appreciation for treats as part of a balanced and healthy eating plan.

I have more energy for my family and look forward to my workouts. The exercise has definitely helped me feel better about myself and my post-baby body. Basically, I have become a healthier and happier wife and mum! Exercise and healthy eating is no longer such a challenge, but an inherent part of my lifestyle that I fully intend to maintain.