After eight years of either being pregnant or breastfeeding, I devoted myself wholly to being a mum. I became accustomed to insomnia from night feeding and the kids waking during the night, and accepted my life as it was. Even though I always exercised regularly at home, I would cut my sessions short if the kids needed my attention. As a practising naturopath, I knew a lot about diet and ate healthily and regularly, but would find myself eating leftovers from the kids, especially for breakfast and lunch.
Then at Christmas 2009 I had a wake-up call, when a back injury that had niggled over the years landed me in hospital, where I was barely able to walk with the pain, and lay bedridden for two weeks. I had to slowly learn to walk again, starting with short 2.5kmp/h sessions on the treadmill and undergoing physiotherapy and chiropractic.

When the pain became manageable I decided to join a Fenix gym that had just opened nearby (I’d thought about joining before, but used money and time as excuses). After a few months of classes like pump and spin, I went where many women fear to tread – the weights area. I really enjoyed the feeling of getting stronger, and my back felt so much better, despite the heavier weights.

I was able to manage the back pain by working on my core and the supporting back muscles.
As my physical state improved, I started to feel more in control with my life, using training as my release from everyday stressors. From then on I started to work on my insomnia and was seeing a new me I really liked.

I have had the 12-week challenge in my sights for some time, having started once before, but abandoned the mission early. Last time I made excuses, but this time I felt I was ready to follow through.

In the early days I was so fatigued doing three days of one-hour heavy weights, plus three interval sessions and a spin class every week. Fortunately, my trainer at the gym gave me some great tips on training and taught me how important it was to have protein straight after training – if I forgot to have it, my energy level would still be affected the next day. My overall energy level picked up phenomenally within two weeks.

I now try to mix my routine up every three to four weeks by either changing reps or using different exercises for each body part. My husband is so supportive and finishes work early so I can get to the gym.

The biggest challenge I faced during the 12 weeks was trying not to feel guilty for training when I felt I should be home with my family. If I couldn’t get to the gym, I would improvise at home.

Social occasions were another big hurdle, as there were a couple of times when I had a few wines, but I made sure I got over the guilt, trained hard, and got back on track the next day.

I now feel I have so much more energy to take on things I love, like roller-blading with my eight-year-old daughter. I’m also enjoying kettlebells and plan to do a course in it this year. I even feel strong enough to tackle rockclimbing.

The 12-week challenge has made a dramatic change to my life. I feel more in control of my diet and lifestyle than I ever have and look forward to continuing my life-changing journey. It’s one of the best things I have ever done for myself and my family. c