Ruth Donaldson - From 'Old Ladies Legs' to 'Young and Sexy'

This all started over the summer holidays when my 12yr old daughter innocently pointed out that I now had ‘old ladies legs’ (you know the type, all lumpy and bumpy around the upper thigh).  Of course this is just the way it should be, after all I was fast approaching the elderly age of 47, I’d had four children, and 50 was just around the corner - isn’t that how we are supposed to look at this stage of life?  I mean, now my ‘old ladies legs’ would match my ‘fairy wings’ and I could quietly slide right on into oblivion knowing I was forever doomed to wear long pants and covering tops for fear that someone else would notice.

"Needless to say this scenario was not appealing to me and thus the search was on for an answer."

I was looking for something different to the usual answer of endless hours of cardio paired with nibbling on slim pickings, bringing nothing but misery and despair when the results never seemed to match the effort.  I bought a few women’s fitness magazines hoping for some inspiration. This in itself was an act of embarrassment.  What was a sagging, wobbly woman of 47 doing looking at those types of magazines, full of young fit girls… surely she didn’t think she would ever grace those pages?  

"I started to research a few of the various on-line training companies, and it didn’t take me long to decide that Ideal Bodies Online definitely offered a great package of programs and support."

I signed up for the 12 week program with a Feedback Coach and Personal Success Mentor and even had Sue herself write my program.  If I was going to do this thing I was going to go the whole hog.  The funny thing is, when I looked at the pictures of the success stories on the website, I still felt inside that this would never happen to me, that you had to be kind of special or different for this to really happen….but at least I was prepared to give it a go.

My biggest challenge in the first couple of weeks was to actually eat everything I was told to.  I had never eaten so much or so often in my life.  I complained to my Feedback Coach after the first week that I couldn’t possibly eat all this food and lose weight.  She very gently and patiently told me to stick to the program and to be patient – that it would work - so I kept eating. Also, being a coffee and tea girl, I found it extremely difficult to drink 3 litres of water per day, but I persevered until it became second nature and my body actually craved it… and oh how grateful my skin is now.

"I have to say that the most amazing part of my program was that I seemed to be doing very little exercise wise."

My cardio was restricted to short sessions and I was only working my abs twice per week, plus my gym workouts never took more than 45mins. I mean come on, everyone knows that you have to go like a ‘bat out hell’ to get any results - this was never going to work… was it?

I stuck with it. I ate my food, I drunk my water, I got up and did my cardio and my three gym sessions a week… and I waited and watched, and waited and watched. Then slowly but surely, things started to move. The tape measure was going down where it needed to and out where it should go out… and I started to get excited, really excited! This was going to work.  It was going to work for me… the old lady with bumpy legs. Sure I fell off the ladder now and then, but managed to get through various birthday parties (including my own) and Easter chocolate, holidays and camping trips… I even survived a week in hospital with the same 12yr old daughter.  But every time something came along to try and stop me I just got right back on track and completed my next session. I kept at it. The words of my coach, ‘this is a 12 week program, not a 4, 6 or 8 week program’ would ring in my ears. I just had to keep going.

As weeks 10, 11 and 12 rolled around I had hit my goal!

My habits were formed. I instinctively knew what I should or shouldn’t be eating or drinking. I knew where all the out of town gyms were for when I was on the road. I always had a pair of runners, sweat towel and protein bar in the car… just in case my schedule was changed. I was in control. It didn’t matter if I was the only person in the gym because I was the only person I needed. My energy levels soared, my hair was thicker and glossier than it had been in years, my skin was positively glowing… AND my legs looked young and sexy. The transformation was incredibly empowering, to the point where I think I feel and look better than I did 20 years ago. If I could do this, I could do anything!

The biggest secret is motivation and determination. Right at the beginning I worked out a clear picture of ‘why’ I wanted to improve, and I set myself little bite size goals to reach, not only each week, but everyday… like making sure I drank those 3 litres of water, or resisted that extra spoonful of peanut butter. I also made sure I was well prepared nutritionally at the beginning of each week so that there was no chance of opening the fridge and having nothing but a pot of crème brulee staring back at me.

I think my friends and family initially passed it off as one of my funny fads, and that I’d be back to ‘normal’ in a few days. But now they are amazed and inspired. Even my four children were proud to see me stick with it.

The ladies at Ideal Bodies Online never failed to encourage and support me through all my ups and downs, or never failed to answer just one more question, even if it was probably the same one they answered last week. My personal 24/7 mentor was a complete angel, even when I would text her late at night because I’d had a rough day. Thank you so much to all of you… couldn’t have done this without you.

Example of Ruth's meal plan:
On rising: cup of rooibos tea with low fat milk. Throughout the day, 3 litres of water steeped with freshly grated ginger and fresh lemon juice.

Breakfast: Eggs/egg whites with baked beans and cherry tomatoes, on wholemeal toast, followed by a skinny latte.

Midmorning: cottage cheese with cinnamon and a selection of fruit in season.

Lunch: Mountain Bread wrap filled with salad, grilled chicken breast and topped with a dash of pesto sauce.

Mid afternoon: avocado topped with cold smoked trout with a handful of asparagus tips.

Dinner: Big bowl of stir fry starting with fresh garlic, chilli, grated ginger and Braggs seasoning followed by prawns, topped with thinly sliced carrot, beans, broccoli, bok choy, bell pepper, mushroom and cherry tomato.


Ruth's Nutrition Tip:
If consuming almonds as part of your EFA, take the required portion and place them in a glass of cold water and soak them overnight. The process of soaking them turns them from a 'dried' nut, into a 'living' nut. It releases the enzymes and adds far greater nutritional value. It makes them taste sweeter as well as making them slightly softer, so kinder on the teeth. It also loosens the skins so you can 'pop' them out of the skin, which sometimes tend to be slightly bitter. Bon Appetite :)
 

Ruth's Stats

Age: 46

Height: 168cm

Weight Before: 64kg After: 59kg

Shoulders Before: 97cm After: 101cm

Chest Before: 94cm After: 93cm

Waist Before: 78cm After: 68.5cm

Hips Before: 99cm After: 94cm

Thigh Before: 57cm After: 53.5cm

Body Fat Before: 25.7% After: 22%