IBO New You Challenge with Amanda Reese

26^th November 2008

Weight Lost: 10kg

I am 43 years of age, married and have two small children who are 4 and 5 years of age.  I work part time, and also run my own small business.  My sister and I decided to do the 12 week body blitz competition mid August.  We were both feeling very unhappy with our level of fitness and our physical appearance and for me it was starting to impact on my emotional well being.  I had just accepted the fact that a 12 month gym membership had been a complete waste of money - as the gym I had joined did not have a crèche and shortly after joining it I started my own small business, then my husband starting doing some work away from home, so time became precious to say the least.  I hated knowing that I had thrown the money away and felt ashamed that I had not been able to attend the gym.

My sister found Ideal Bodies Online and we started talking about the possibility of doing a 12 week programme.  It appealed to me because it could all be done without having to arrange for childcare or leave the house!  Plus I was too embarrassed to go near another gym. We both did a Full Support Program and started our 12 weeks on September 1^st.  My sister and I both loved the fact that we not only had each other for support, but we gained access to the online forum at Ideal Bodies Online (IBO) and received invaluable feedback, support and advice from other women doing the program or those who have already done it (as well as from our Feedback Coaches). We started an email group for all the ladies that began an IBO course early September and it was fantastic to be in such an active, entertaining, humbling and funny email group – I really could not have done this without the other ladies in the email group.  I live 50km away from my sister, but every day we either; talked on the phone, sent text messages, or emailed to keep each other motivated and ask questions.  We both had significant challenges to face during the 12 weeks including illness, a camping holiday, children’s sickness and injuries, significant celebrations, the flatness associated with a plateau regarding weight loss or fitness and the difficulty of placing the priority on ourselves before others!!

The things I have learnt about myself are that I CAN achieve my goals (which I truly doubted before), that I was eating both the wrong amount and type of foods, that I can and do LOVE exercising, that I DO have enough time in my life to incorporate exercise and that I CAN control how I look and feel – and can put myself first whilst still being a great Mum and wife.

I am so proud of myself and my sister for what we have achieved.  It is the first thing I have achieved in a long time that is entirely for myself.  To do it together with my sister was also really important and really special cause we were able to lift each other when feeling flat and laugh at ourselves and each other as well!! I feel in control at last and I feel comfortable with how I look.  I know that I have more to achieve and have set myself new goals to achieve in the next 12 weeks. I am delighted that I took up the challenge and thrilled to be able to say that I achieved my goals in 12 weeks – here’s to my new goals :)

Tips :

1. Visualise yourself at the end of the challenge and how happy you are with the new you.
2. Write down the exercise plan in your diary or mobile phone so you always know what day you are doing each exercise.
3. Use the Online Forum for support and advice – someone else has always asked whatever question you have before!
4. Don’t get caught short – always carry your food with you, because “adaptation” is not as easy as we think it is.
5. Don’t buy into the feeling that this is a punishment – this is helping you get what you supposedly want :)
   

Favourite Recipe

Pan cooked salmon cutlet with stir fried vegetables – I put a tiny amount of wasabi into a dob of natural yoghurt as a little dipper for the salmon – delicious :)

For breakfast I loved having a 9 grain English muffin toasted with a smear of promite and cottage cheese on top.

Amanda Reese