Michelle Wood - Monthly Body Blitz Winner

Since I first put on 10kgs as a teenager, I've been a chronic yo-yo dieter. I tried many weight loss programs. The regimes were always so restrictive that I was never able to maintain them. Even if I lost weight, eventually I became complacent, returning to my old eating habits & the weight would soon pile back on with interest. Finally after multiple failed attempts at losing weight, I fell into deep depression. I figured I knew what to do in theory, after all I have a Certificate 3 in fitness, but became frustrated that I couldn't apply my knowledge. This made me feel like a hypocrite & massive failure, I started to believe that I would just spend the rest of my life on & off diets.

Realistically I didn't know everything, I was still missing something; the "secret" to actually maintaining my weight loss.

Whilst studying the works of Franklin Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People) that I learned “you can make all the excuses you want, but if your “health & fitness” is at the forefront of your mind & goals, you wont let anything get in your way”. This tiny bit of insight was enough to lay the foundation for successful weight loss. I was finally “over” being depressed about it - I'd had enough. I knew it was up to me to take the first step, but at this point, I was still waiting for the “trigger” that would catapult me into action.

Finally, just before my 34th birthday, I was reading a fitness magazine when several articles struck a particular cord with my situation at that moment. The most inspiring article of all was "Liz Bickerton Success Story". I read Liz's story & was thrilled to find a real person I could actually relate to, with so many similarities to my own life. I was in awe of Liz's before & after photos, her body looked amazing & her smile, she looked so happy - like a woman who has it "all under control". I knew then, this was the way I wanted to look & feel. I decided then & there, my goal was to lose weight more importantly, keep it off for good - to focus on the goal that had eluded me to date - maintenance.

I noticed that Liz had enlisted the help of an online personal trainer; Ideal Bodies Online. This made me realize & admit that I couldn't do it on my own, I needed someone to be accountable to, someone to provide support & encouragement. In the past I had thought the notion of a trainer online was ridiculous – how could one be inspired & accountable to a trainer you never “see”? Although very skeptical, I compared online trainers advertised in fitness magazines. The IBO website made the competitors sites look like “cheap knock offs”. I spent a fair bit of  time reading testimonials & checking out the services on offer. The idea of a tailored nutrition, supplement & training program really appealed to me, this allowed me to focus on my goal of permanent weight loss.

Finally, I was convinced that an online trainer was actually exactly what I needed.

I decided to “invest” in a full support program with IBO & began immediately. With the help of IBO I have managed to lose weight & continue to do so, working towards my long term goal of competing in a figure contest.

IBO is unique, they have offered me advice & support genuinely tailored to my situation & goals. Helping me to overcome hurdles I faced during my initial challenge & beyond. I am ecstatic about the emotional, physical & mental benefits I've gained & continue to gain. I now love my body rather than loathe it & my self esteem in general has gone through the roof! My transformation has honestly changed my life in just 12 short weeks. Simply allowing myself the "me time" to pursue my goal is the best thing I have ever done for myself!

I will remain forever grateful to the IBO team for helping restore my self esteem & confidence. I congratulate Sue on creating such a wonderful, caring & supportive environment that allows individuals to facilitate successful change. Kristin's passion & enthusiasm is evident in the truly customized, challenging programs she creates. Sharna, my feedback coach is a total sweetheart, who always knows what to say to lift my spirits. Her loyal & genuine support has been instrumental to my success.

Best of all, I know that I will never need to go on a diet again – I've found the missing piece of the puzzle!
 

Favorite Healthy Recipe: Exotic Crepes

• 5 egg whites, ¾ tsp Xylitol – or your preferred sweetener (optional), pinch of cinnamon
• 150g fruit including; 6x boysenberries & fresh mango slices
• Sugar free maple syrup

Wisk egg whites together with sweetener & cinnamon. Lightly spray pre-heated, non-stick fry pan with olive oil, pour in egg mixture. Cook on low heat, as per regular crepes. Once egg has almost set, add fruit to one side of crepe, allow fruit to heat through. Slide off pan onto serving plate, drizzle with SF maple syrup. Enjoy in amazement; that something so healthy can be so delicious!
 

Michelle's Top 3 Tips

1. Always plan ahead, be prepared & never try to wing it. The IBO Journal is brilliant tool for doing this. You are more likely to stay focused when you have a clearly defined plan. Everyone else offers this tip & it's true!
2. If your health & fitness goal is really important to you then “put first things first”. As painful as it is to get up early, my best advice is to do all your training sessions in the morning & make every session count. By training in the morning you don't allow other “roles” in your life to take priority over your training.
3. Even if you think you know it all, don't try to go it alone. We all need support at one point or another (it's true that no one has a perfect 12 weeks). I urge you to use IBO members forum/resources, even if you just read without posting – the information is invaluable. Create your own Inspiration Book (even if it seems silly at first). When times are tough or motivation is low, your favourite quotes, notes about challenges you've overcome etc, will lift your mood & help you through.
   
    
4. 

*Photographs by Nicole Schuch Photography:

http://www.schuchphotography.com.au/