Five years ago I was very happy with my results after completing the BodyBlitz challenge, and I maintained my weight for a few years. Now married with an 18-month-old son and my own cake business from home, this 12-week challenge was a lot harder than before.

I am a pastry chef and self-confessed chocoholic. Working with chocolate, cakes and sweets every day, I found myself sampling cakes far too often. I knew that this would pose a significant challenge, requiring a lot of willpower and determination rather than the clichéd ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach.

I had wanted to enter the BodyBlitz challenge many times over the past year, but I always found excuses, particularly those involving time constraints and work commitments. I finally realised there were no more excuses, and that my constant refrain that ‘I just had a baby’ was fooling nobody, including myself.
I quickly purchased a heart rate monitor, began calculating my daily calorie expenditure and intake, and with the help of my PT Heath Sampson, I finally began the challenge.

At the beginning of the challenge, my PT made me take the beep test and took my body fat percentage. With results of 5 per cent and 27.8 per cent, I was able to set goals for the challenge.

By week four I had already lost three kilos and I continued to lose inches, despite my weight loss slowing down towards the end. My legs and bottom have always been bigger, so I knew they would be the hardest places to lose weight from. In week 12 I did the beep test again, and after achieving 8.1 per cent I couldn’t be happier. My body fat percentage is now 22.7 per cent, but as much as I am thrilled with my weight loss, getting fitter and stronger was just as important to me.

It was mostly smooth sailing for the 12 weeks, and I really loved getting back into fitness during the challenge. I have always loved playing team sport and earlier in the year I had signed up for ladies league tag every Sunday. I did find it challenging to juggle my husband, son and business along with my exercise plans, but thankfully it got easier towards the end. Planning my meals and exercise in advance was essential to my success.

I managed to keep my junk food and alcohol intake to a minimum during the challenge, despite attending three birthday parties and two weddings. By being the designated driver for most of them I was able to carefully watch what I was drinking.

Since completing the 12-week challenge I have realised how much the extra weight had been affecting me, both physically and mentally. I feel so much more confident and positive about everything in my life.
We are planning on having another child in the near future, so my goal now is to have another healthy pregnancy and to be the fit and active wife and mother I have always wanted to be. c