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 In the late 1990s I remember watching Demi Moore in GI Jane and 'those abs'. I wanted that fabulous six pack and to be strong, tough, yet still feminine like Demi. However, at the end of each day, after working in my stressful IT sales job, and picking the kids up, I was so tired that I sat on the couch, had a few drinks and nibbles and, 'relaxed'. The next morning I would look at myself naked in the mirror and say, "today was the day I would gain control of how I looked". I did regular exercise, I even did a few corporate triathlons at one stage, but on the weekends or at night I still had those few drinks and other treats. I deserved it, right? After all, I worked really hard, I did have kids, I was only a few kilos heavy and...I am sure there were plenty of other justifications and excuses. Then one day I woke up and realised that, at 32yrs old, and 30% body fat, Demi’s abs were never going to magically appear for me. I was going to have to change. I am not sure if there was an incident that inspired the change, but I do remember that day like it was yesterday. Something had lit a fire inside me and I knew that I deserved better than what I was giving myself. I finally understood that all the responsibility to change was with me. So two years after getting into pretty good shape for a 30-something mother of two, I decided it was time to 'get serious'. I decided to become a body building figure competitor.
 After the euphoria of my first competition I started to eat 'normally' again. In the first 3 days I put on 3 kgs and can I clearly recall looking at myself in the mirror and felt disgusted at how fat I had become. Within 6 weeks I was back to 55kgs and a new struggle with food and body image emerged. The feedback from the judges was that I was in great condition but I was too small and needed more muscle, so Nunzio and I worked on a plan that would see me sit out a year and then go back with more muscle. However I changed this plan and got back on stage 9-months later and then 15-months after that again. In this period of bodybuilding my weight ranged about 10 kgs each off season and the only way I could control the way I looked was to be in 'competition preparation mode'. I convinced myself that I was carb intolerant and had a slow metabolism and felt I put on weight when I reintroduced carbs and other regular food to my diet. The reality is that my body was simply doing what a normal body does after a heavily restricted diet over a long period of time. This caused other eating disorder type behaviours; I was unhappy and in food jail.
I had always known that there was an athlete inside of me; however I never dreamed I would end up being a strength athlete in my late 30s. My success is a great testament to the mantra that 'it is never too late'. Within the first 12 months of being a competitive Powerlifter I qualified to compete at the Nationals Titles. I won a Silver medal in the 56kg Master 1 division at the Commonwealth Titles in Christchurch last December and, had a life changing experience being surrounded by other athletes that were as dedicated to their sport as I am. I recently won the overall Bronze in the 60kg div at the IPF World Masters in Palm Springs (October 2008.) |
