Start with mindset, finish with lifestyle… The past nine weeks have been life-changing and it all began with three words, ‘enough is enough’. I wanted to bring health and wellbeing into my lifestyle, which had been non-existent for years and it started with changing my thoughts. No more saying ‘it’s too hard’, ‘80% diet? But I love food’ and the biggest barrier for me was ‘I don’t like exercising alone because I don’t know how to do anything and everyone will be watching me’. The trigger point for me was when I stepped on to the scales last Christmas and I couldn’t believe my eyes, it turned out to be the perfect New Year’s resolution which has now become part of my lifestyle. I didn’t know where to start, all I knew was I had to, so I set myself a goal that I would start training for my first marathon. Absolutely clueless about exercise and nutrition I started with calorie counting and running 3 to 4 times a week (I could only run 1 or 2km at the time). I lost 5 kilos in the first 5 weeks which kept me motivated but I started getting shin splints and lack of energy, which called for a change in routine. Thanks to Wayne Dean and Real Fitness’ ‘bring a friend’ week I was reluctant but persuaded to try these guys out. And OMG I cannot stress how amazing the whole team is and I can honestly say I have never stuck to any gym membership in my life. Their holistic approach is what sets them apart because they are so genuine and actually care about YOU! They are definitely not your average gym! THE REAL LIVING CHALLENGE: I joined right on time when it was about to begin and my first thoughts were WOW, no sugar? High fat? What the hell did I sign up to? It seemed impossible and fears were mounting but since I had changed my mindset, I had to follow through and give this a good go. The seminars were the most helpful because it encouraged me to read more about how the body works, how ketosis leads to fat burning and what is good and bad for you. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle. The first four weeks were super hard but persistence and focusing on the end goal was key. I was tempted to cheat, but what kept me going was seeing the scales drop every single week. After four weeks, it was piece of cake and now nine weeks in, I don’t even want to stray back into old habits. Keto-friendly meals are super EASY to make, super TASTY and best part is I have experienced abundance of ENERGY which I have never felt before! Incorporating this nutrition into my lifestyle, constant education, the intensity from Real Fitness group classes and my personal training session with SENSATIONAL Wes, was a recipe for ultimate success. In such a short time, I have lost 10+ kilos*, I can now run 8km without stopping, I can lift weights (Shout-out to Birtha) and do push ups, all of which was not possible nine weeks ago! To top it off, I haven’t weighed what I weigh now since I was 15 years old, except now I am stronger, fitter and healthier! REAL FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINING, Thank you so much for educating me, motivating me and keeping me disciplined and most importantly believing in me. You all are truly a dream team and can revolutionize the fitness industry. BRING ON THE NEXT CHALLENGE!!! 😀 *Results may vary from person to person. Proper nutrition and movement is essential to losing and maintaining weight loss.