The Queen is dead! Long live the Queen!!

When it comes to exercise I am the Queen of Procrastination and the World Champion of Excuses!

Tracy and Manu

I have been an on-again-off-again gym member for years, including PT, but always seemed to prioritise everything I could possibly think of in my very busy life ahead of my health and fitness.

A couple of years ago I ‘did my knee’ in a slow speed and somewhat pathetic skiing accident resulting in pitiful upside down calls for help and a rescue by the ski patrol. Whilst the injury itself wasn’t severe, the delay in getting to surgery resulted in a particularly long and frustrating rehabilitation period.

Whilst finding regular solace with a glass of red wine and a slab of double brie, it took about 18 months to really get back into the swing of exercise, gym and PT. But the excuses were still there … together with an additional 10 kilos, VERY high blood pressure and a progressively more depressed and resigned outlook regarding the additional weight I was carrying and my general physical and mental wellbeing.

I had restarted my PT with Manu, including chats on diet and exercise and portion control and not too much alcohol and eating sensibly and making time and ‘trying’ to get to the gym regularly etc etc etc … but NOTHING I did seemed to encourage any of my extra kilos to budge. I felt dreadful.

I ‘hit the wall’ in September 2011. I was finally and desperately ready to make the changes in my life that would make the difference. It wasn’t until I was committed to change that change could happen.

Manu introduced me to the Metabolic Jumpstart (MJ) program and in a 3 way partnership between MJ, Manu and I, we set about making the changes in my life that would make a real and permanent difference.

In the 12 weeks from October to Christmas I rebalanced my metabolism through the MJ program, learning about what portion control and healthy eating choices actually means. Most importantly, MJ taught me how to incorporate healthy eating into normal life, including when I am travelling or working interstate, dining out and during the pre-christmas eating marathon we all endure each year. MJ is also about incorporating regular exercise into every day.

Metabolic Jumpstart is NOT a diet … it is a lifestyle choice.

And thank goodness Manu was there … ready and willing to be my support mechanism, my training supervisor and my cheer squad. She set and monitored my exercise … reviewed my progress each week … sent me texts while I was away on conferences … laughed with me … pushed me … and supported me to achieve my Christmas target. Manu is a guide and an inspiration. She talks the talk and walks the walk.

In 12 weeks I dropped almost 10 kilos, my blood pressure was back within the completely normal range and I felt fantastic, both physically and mentally.

In the 3 months since Christmas I have maintained my weight within my target range. I have permanently changed the way I look at food, eating and exercise and have realised it’s definitely not just about the numbers on the scales. It is about feeling fit and healthy; vibrant and energised. It is about doing what is best for your body to enable you to achieve all the things you want to do in life.

My body is definitely not a temple and I can still procrastinate and find a good excuse with the best of them … so it is a continuing journey. I look forward to taking the next steps with the ongoing support and encouragement from my PT and good friend, Manu.

Watch this space …

Tracy Matthews