Kate's Story

When I started training with Kim I was quite overweight, a gradual increase over the last 10 years as I had my 3 children. I was tired all the time & unhappy with the way I looked, felt & moved. 

I was hoping to lose weight, increase my energy & fitness levels and improve my health to decrease my chances of developing illnesses like diabetes.

When I met Kim she said she would normally let me settle into the new fitness regime first before making any other changes, but I was ready. 

In fact I think I had been ready for a long time but had lacked the motivation. 

The monumental task of losing weight & making those changes had seemed too great. 

There were many things I thought I wasn’t quite ready to give up & there was always an excuse as to why the timing wasn’t right. But having made that first step of contacting her and booking in to my first class, she could see I had made that commitment and I was determined to make the necessary changes. 

It was then she suggested the 6-week challenge.

It involved giving up my three favourite things, Bread, Cheese & Alcohol along with several other things that didn’t hurt so much! 

Kim’s style of fitness really suits me. It’s high intensity but low impact and small groups, which allows time for one on one coaching. 

I started exercising 3 times a week at MET Fitness Studio 1 and also doing more cycling. 

Doing the classes has certainly kept my motivation up to stay committed to the dietary changes, which has enhanced the weight loss.

The first few weeks were definitely the hardest but surprisingly, after that I started to miss my favourite things a little less. 

What was great about the eating plan was firstly, using my hand as a guide to portion size, I was never without it! 

And being able to modify my diet in the way she had suggested without having to prepare separate meals I found I could make the changes I needed fit into our regular family menu. 

I found I really had to examine the reasons why I was eating. 

As there is no snacking and I was definitely not feeling hungry between meals, if I found myself reaching for or thinking about a snack I had to mindful as to why? 

Non-hungry eating had been a big part of my problem. 

Finishing the kid’s uneaten food, using food as a reward, eating when I was bored, all this had to stop. The first few weeks were the most challenging I just had to really think about why I was considering a snack, remind myself I wasn’t hungry & move on. 

Now I don’t even think of it, I’m not hungry between meals, snacking is not an option, another habit I have broken!

It took the first 6 weeks for my body to shift into fat burning mode.

I started to notice changes in my body (an incredible 52cm off my entire body!) and I decided to continue with the eating plan. 

During the next 6-week period the weight has continued to come off and I feel fitter & stronger. 

When I started I could barely do a plank or a wall sit. I can now do them full a full minute! 

Kim is always so encouraging especially when I feel I’m doing terribly!

I am much more agile now & find it easier to keep up with my kids.

I had my first alcoholic drinks after 3 months of not drinking & whilst I enjoyed it & I had spent those months missing it terribly, I came to the realisation that I didn’t need it after all. 

It was more a habit I had developed over time & I haven’t had another drink since!

So now I am 14 weeks down the track and its not just me noticing the changes, I’m getting lots of comments about how great I am looking. 

But the most important thing is that I’m feeling great! Thanks Kim!

Ages and Stages

I wrote an article a few years back called The Five Stages of Exercise, loosely based on the five stages of grief.

It's still valid, but in the intervening years, I’ve also seen clients go through the various stages - between not liking exercise and getting it done - from a different perspective.

This path is more akin to our developmental stages growing from children to adults.

The first stage is I Don’t Want To – they have little to no interest in exercise & refuse to even entertain the notion. Like a toddler digging their heels in, very little is achieved in arguing with them at this stage.

Don’t get me wrong, if you don’t want to exercise, you are perfectly entitled to that position.

However, if you do no activity whatsoever, don’t be surprised when your body starts breaking down and you find yourself, over time, unable to move in the most basic ways, like walking without getting puffed.

The second stage I call the Trade-Off, where exercise becomes a transactional process, a way of justifying poor eating habits - “I can eat this because I did that”, type of thinking.

At this stage I’ve also seen people who seem to want to be punished by exercise in some strange kind of penance for unhealthy choices in the rest of their life.

I liken this stage to adolescence, where we felt invincible (health-wise) and often engaged in behaviours because we thought others would approve or to gain something in return.

So many people remain stuck in this stage.

Let me be clear: exercise is a celebration of what your body CAN DO, not a punishment for what you ate.

The myriad benefits of regular exercise are not wiped out by poor eating or not enough sleep but your body works as a whole; you can’t compartmentalise healthy behaviours into a narrow band and expect the system to function well.

The third stage, Just Do It is the most rewarding; it’s where we finally understand why our health & fitness is so important, that it is a goodness in its own right.

This is where we become adults, doing what needs to be done because it matters to us & our future.

Some people move to this stage after illness or injury, with a deep understanding of what it is NOT to be able to move well & pain-free.

Some gradually grow into this stage, noticing how great they feel after exercise, having more energy, feeling less sluggish.

MET Fitness takes a sustainable approach to health & fitness, start where you’re at and keep going, giving you more energy to live a great life.

We bring you along through each stage (yes, especially the I Don’t Want To) with support, encouragement & motivation.

Until one day, it’s your new healthy habit.

Get in touch and Get. It. Done.

Zuccini, Tomato & Basil Frittata Muffins

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend in Inverloch, a lovely little coastal town, south east of Melbourne, Australia.

My Bestie moved there permanently last year and I miss her like crazy.

One of my other beautiful clients, Nola, moved nearby & we stopped in for a cuppa & a catch-up on the way home.

Look at what she gifted me!

Zuccuni, apple cucumbers, cherry tomatoes & a great big bunch of herbs, parsley, basil, lemon verbena & thai basil - all home grown!!

So naturally I got busy.

This frittata is easy, healthy & delicious; you can just use any veggies you have in the fridge, I often use broccoli, capsicum and mushrooms as well.

I made a dozen muffins so used a few eggs but adapt to the size of your pan.

They also make a great lunchbox addition.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Zuccini, washed & sliced

2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved

10 eggs

1 cup grated parmesan 

2 cups ricotta

2 handfuls of spinach/rocket

handful of basil, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/350F

Line muffin tray with baking paper squares

Precook zucchini slices & tomatoes in a pan and set aside

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, parmesan & 2/3 of the ricotta until smooth. 

Season with salt & pepper and stir in rocket & basil

Spoon zucchini & tomato mixture into muffin tray, ladle the egg mixture in and dot with the remaining ricotta.

Bake for 20 minutes or until firm & golden brown.