Before and After...

Recently, I did a round trip from the Gold Coast which included visits to both Perth and Sydney.

While the main idea of my trip was to check in with GCP Fitness clients and to take part in a fitness photo shoot for Australian Fitness Network/FILEX, I came home with a vast range of valuable & interesting experiences about the challenges of changing your personal health.

One of the most positive experiences I had involved Cesare Lionti, a GCP client who approached me just over 2 months ago with a goal in mind...to get back into shape. He was determined and focussed (which is always a good start!) and so we set about immediately putting a plan in place. The idea was for Cesare to start implementing a customised nutrition plan which I had devised, and also combine that with a GCP Fitness training program.

When I caught up with Ces for his appraisal, the initial goals we had set regarding his fat loss were absolutely blown out of the water!! I was so impressed with his efforts, that I felt the need to share some of them with you here (and don't forget, Ces managed to do this in just 2 months!!):

Weight (Kg): 89-->75.5.....a loss of 13.5kg

Body Fat %: 22.6-->15.5...a loss of 7%BF

Waist (cm): 99.0-->85.4....a loss of 13.6cm

Hips (cm): 108.2-->96.8...a loss of 11.2cm


It's important to note that Ces did this simply by following a simple nutrition plan and an effective exercise program. He didn't do anything crazy or starve himself (although he may have had to watch his brother stuff his face with chips a few times! Thanks for the temptations Phil!). My point is that anyone can achieve this if you just put your mind to it.

It also helps to have the people around you supporting your cause, which Ces seemed to have in abundance. Congratulation Cesare, I'm so very proud of you and now it's going to be a case of you establishing these changes as habits.

Speaking of support, the other thing I experienced while I was away, really frustrated me. It's an issue that has plagued some of my clients and close friends for years. "Haters".

This is especially true for my female clients.

Why is it that when a male tries to get himself into shape, almost everyone is supportive and engages his new found goal as a challenge that they too can assist him with, whereas many of the females who begin their goal of looking and feeling better are met with a seemingly constant barrage of depreciating view points and taunts of now 'being too skinny'?

It annoys me that there is a difference of support groups for the sexes, and that a males mates will predominately push him to work harder via supportive enthusiasm, whereas the female gender have often been heard to say things like, "Why are you bothering?" or "You're wasting away!"...True quotes.

So many female GCP clients have done extremely well in reaching their goals, and I couldn't have been prouder of their efforts, but it does disappoint me to hear that their process was hindered by a lack of enthusiasm from family or close friends. Ladies, stick with YOUR goals. Stick with YOUR plans, and do what makes YOU happy. It's your life after all. I'm very proud of you!

On a personal note, after Perth I flew to Sydney for a photo shoot promotion for the Australian Fitness Network. It was a great experience and it looks like the photos will be utilised for the up and coming Filex conference in Sydney! So if you are around town in the coming months, see if you can find me on a banner or poster! 

In conclusion, it seems like the battle for health is a constant challenge that involves a plethora of positive and negative experiences. Ultimately, the challenge should be brought back to what it is that YOU want to achieve.  Why have you chosen this path and these goals? If you have the right intentions and your aim is for a healthier, new-and-improved YOU...then there's no reason why you can't pursue it.

Haters, or not.