Stacey has previously featured in our Success Stories from when she won our 8 Week Challenge in December 2013, and that was just the start of her journey! Stacey has been training with us here at Red E for ten months now (at time of writing) and during that time, more than just her shape has changed. Her attitude to health and fitness has changed immensely. Her dedication and persistence has gotten her to where she is today. Stacey amazing efforts and transformation earned her our July “Client of the Month” Award, and very deservedly! Here is her story…
What Motivated You To Start Training?
I was at a bit of a lull in my life and knew I had let things get a little out of hand in all areas but especially fitness wise. I knew I had to change something and when I heard about the Mackay Bootcamp for Women and the “Little Black Dress Challenge”, I thought what better opportunity to get out there and do something different for myself and meet some new people in the process. This was the single most, best decision I have ever made and since have found every area of my life has been impacted in a positive way.
What Are / Were Your Goals? Originally, I just wanted to lose some weight and tone up but now it’s more about getting stronger with my body and challenging my mind. I joined Red E’s Fit Chicks Program at the beginning of this year, and am loving the challenge and the progressive weight-training sessions. Getting stronger and challenging my mind is such a constant effort and something you need to work on everyday so it’s not only a hard hour of work but a constant challenge to be better than I was and prove to myself that I can achieve anything if I really put myself out there and go for it. I find nothing more satisfying then smashing a goal I had set through sheer willpower and an added bonus is seeing the changes in my body.
My current long term goal is to complete an ultra-marathon. As for a short term goal, I want to smash a 100kg squat and a 100kg deadlift in the next 4 weeks….! So far I’ve managed to get to every goal I’ve set small or big. The ones that I am most proud of are running more than 10km. I didn’t think I’d ever do that and the other was doing a 90 kg squat!
What Have You Been Doing To Achieve Your Goals? Committing to my program, and being consistent with it. I weight train with Red E on a systemised program twice per week, and I also run in my own time. I have made massive changes to my diet and am very aware now of what I eat, when I eat, why I eat and how it made me feel when I eat certain foods. I learnt you have to be realistic with it otherwise your brain tends to rebel and go in the complete opposite direction but majority of the time I eat super clean and have a great appreciation and love of food because of it.
The obvious change was fitting in the exercise and now I seem to plan my life around my exercise. A lot of my social outings now are exercised based and that’s where I get out and catch up with friends.
I’ve also made permanent changes to my wardrobe…… woop woop!!
What Have Your Results Been? My body has completely changed its shape which is great and my mind is now far more capable then I thought possible. One of the biggest benefits I feel was the change in attitude. Positivity is a great thing and a lot of that stemmed from my sticking to consistent exercise. It has opened my life up to so many fantastic opportunities from work life to home life to new friendships and to self-acceptance. I feel happier now than I ever have before because I know I can and I know I will achieve all that I put my mind to.
Other bonus benefits were the change in body shape, my skin is clearer, I have more energy, I’m hardly ever sick anymore, the list goes on there is no end to the positives you get from exercise.
There is no two ways about it. I worked my ass off and still do every day. Like I said before it is something you have to be consistent with but once you do it becomes your life style and you don’t think twice about putting on your shoes and going for a run or spending three hours prepping your meals for the week. It is hard but it is more rewarding than anything else because it gives so much back.
Another permanent lifestyle change I’ve made is to my organization and life balance. These two go hand in hand for me because without organization my life seems to get a little unbalanced so I have to stay on top of that and make sure that I’m making time for other things in between all the exercise and work, I’m still working this one out.
The only other thing I have to say is that I think I’ve found the secret to a happy life. Without exercise and Red E I’d still be in that slump, not really making the most of anything. To become who you want and get what you want you must suck it up and put in the hard yards and just “do it”.
