So if you were following along on my 12 Week Transformation, you might be wondering what’s going on.  My last check-in was a combined one for Week 7 and 8. What the hell happened? Did I find it all too hard and quit? Did I secretly go back to drinking Coke and was too ashamed to tell anyone?

To answer those questions, yes, there were moments it felt hard but no, I did not quit. Did I go back to drinking Coke? No, but I did go rogue on a couple of occasions and was quickly reminded of how a bad habit can so easily sneak up on you once again.

But the real reason I fell off with my updates was a combination of two things. The first was simply life. School holidays, birthday preparations and completing a creative writing course just sucked up every spare moment. If my blog was a movie, it would be an old Western, a dusty and deserted town with tumbleweeds rolling through.

The other reason was that the weekly updates began to feel like too much scrutiny. The whole point of the transformation was that I would adopt new habits to see me through the rest of my life. To that end, the 12 week transformation was a huge success. I missed only one training session at Cinch when one of the kids was home sick and even then, I did an online exercise video instead. I have recommitted to exercise as a non-negotiable part of my weekly routine and I’m very proud of that. My food choices, though still far from perfect, have been considerably improved. So if I look at what my aim was at the beginning of the 12 weeks, I have done what I set out to do.

But as the end of the 12 weeks drew nearer, I began to panic. Though I deliberately avoided calling this a Body Transformation because that was not my primary goal, I did expect that my body would respond positively to the lifestyle changes I was making. When I did the very same training last year in the lead up to my wedding, I lost weight and felt incredible. This time around, not even 12 months later, my body has stubbornly resisted change. Every week, I weighed myself and felt so deflated. Then I stopped weighing myself and waited to feel better in my clothes but that wasn’t happening either. Though I never wanted the focus to be on my body, it was only natural that I thought I might have something to show off after all my hard work. I felt embarrassed that there wasn’t much to show.  

I’m sad to report I felt fat at my 40^th birthday party. I actually think it ruined my night a little bit because I was conscious of it. I just couldn’t understand why what had worked last time was not working now. There’s no way my metabolism could have suddenly switched to “old person” just because I’m 40. So something is off kilter. My energy is shockingly low, my cycles are wacky and I think I am at competition level for water retention. If there’s an Olympic team for that, I need to be on it. Next step: blood tests at the GP. I am not firing on all cylinders and I need to find out why.

So I chatted to my wonderful trainer, Nikki, about my woes and we decided the weekly check-ins were wreaking havoc on my self-esteem. I think giving yourself a time-frame to make changes within is useful but the very nature of this transformation is that it is ongoing. If you don’t get the physical results you wanted in 12 weeks, you have another 12 weeks – and the rest of your life – to keep tweaking and adjusting to find what works best for you. New and better habits can become ingrained over time but temptation is always there and it’s a lifelong journey of trying to balance things as best we can.

I have also had to remind myself that the physical aspect is not the only benchmark on which to measure the impact of exercise. Now is not the greatest time for me health-wise, and that needs further investigation, but the last 12 weeks have made me physically stronger and my fitness has continued to improve. I don’t feel as great as I was hoping I would, but without exercise, I hate to think of the mess I’d be in.

So the journey continues for me. I will still post about it but less frequently and more broadly. It won’t be specific to my progress but instead sharing things I’ve learned along the way. I also want to share stories of other women and how making fitness a priority has impacted their lives. I think you’ll be inspired.

And so now is the right time to announce the second round of Nikki’s 8 Week Training Transformation. If you live in the vicinity of the Melbourne suburb, Macleod, and you want to head into this summer feeling fitter and stronger, then you’ll want to check it out.

 

8 Week Training Transformation – November Intake

Cinch (in Melbourne suburb, Macleod) is a small boutique studio focusing on small group and personal training. An antidote to huge, impersonal gyms where many of us can feel intimidated and lost – especially when it comes to strength training – Nikki and her tertiary-qualified trainers aim to foster genuine relationships with their clients to maximise results.

There are only 3 spots left for this intake so be quick!

Optimal Results Package:

• 8 weeks
• THREE small group training sessions per week (6 per fortnight – includes yoga)
• Pay up front $528 or
• Direct Debit $99 per fortnight (SAVE $132)

Includes:

• One on one goal setting, health check, body composition (measurements, body fat, muscle, hydration, bone) session with your trainer. Optional reviews are available at either two or four weekly intervals.
• Text/phone/email support from your trainer
• Weekly tips and guidance via email
• Heavily discounted sessions with a medical nutrition expert.
• Advice on other areas of your fitness e.g.: a program to use in your own gym/home, what to do for cardio
• Access to our Cinch Transformation Tribe Facebook group 
• Postural analysis 
• Complimentary consultation with GP and medical cosmetologist,  Dr Anna McLeish and 10% off cost of 1st treatment

Twice a Week Package

• 8 weeks
• TWO group sessions per week
• Pay up front $387.20
• All other inclusions as per Optimal Package

Once a Week Package

• 8 weeks
• ONE group session per week
• Pay up front $220
• All other inclusions as per Optimal Package

Budget options - these prices are for group training sessions ONLY (no further inclusions but still loads of love!)

• Pay as you go $27.50 per session
• Book of ten sessions $247.50  
• Book of twenty sessions $440

So if you're local to Macleod or nearby (I travel about 10 minutes to train at Cinch) and you're ready to make a change or change up your current exercise routine, we would LOVE to see you at Cinch. It's the most fun hard thing you'll ever do! 

If you have any questions or want to sign up, contact Nikki:

Email nikki@cinch.training

Call 0406 261 171

Note: these packages are all small GROUP training sessions. For further information and pricing on individual personal training sessions, contact Nikki.