Good Morning! I hope this finds you all well. A massive thank you for all the wonderful entries on here for the Nutra Organics Super Reds and Greens Energy Bars give-away…..all names went onto paper and into a bowl which names were then randomly drawn out….the three lucky winner are….
*** Amy Lane
*** Hayley Lawson
*** Kim Felsman
Could these 3 ladies please email me their postal addresses to info@cutoutthecrap.com.au

I am excited to have a beautiful and inspirational guest post for you today….why not make yourself a cuppa and sit for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Amanda – Mummy bootcamp at home

Amanda and her daughter ‘Chels’ at Yamba Feb 2013

Back in 2007, while living in the UK I was working in a big company as Brand Manager. I didn’t love my job, but it was a job. I had no idea what else I would like to do. Until I did a bootcamp! I had done bootcamps before, but hadn’t really enjoyed them. But this one was different! It was women only, a great bunch of girls were doing it and we had a great trainer. By the end of the bootcamp, I was thinking – I would love to do this every day!

I have always been into sport. Swimming, netball, triathlons (but hated running) and skiing mainly. I loved being outdoors too, so I could see a good fit. I liked being fit and healthy and loved being outdoors – so this could be something I could be good at and really enjoy doing.

So I signed up to do a Personal Training course. I took a big leap and just did it! Once I had made the decision, it was like a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders! My decision was made. It was a 6 month course plus practical. I studied hard and did lots of practical experience while doing the course. I was being mentored by the lady that ran the bootcamp I loved doing so much!

I was still working full time while doing my course. When I finished my course, got my certificate, got my insurance, I was ready to teach classes and bootcamps on my own! I was hooked! Within 3 months of teaching bootcamps, I had quit my ‘real job’ as my husband called it and was doing Personal Training and Bootcamps almost full time.

I have no idea why I didn’t think of doing this earlier. It was something I never would’ve thought of when leaving school or even finishing university. I also don’t think it would have been right for me to do at that stage of my life. I had my career change at 28. And it was one of the best decisions I have made. I have never looked back. That was nearly 6 years ago.

Since then I have moved back to Australia, had a baby (she is now an energetic 2 year old), started up my own Women’s Only Outdoor & On-line Fitness business and I LOVE my job.

Amanda with her daughter after a 10km Fun Run

I often get asked, “Why do you love your job?” There are a few reasons:

My husband would say, ‘because you like telling people what to do!’ BUT
I love helping people (women in particular) achieve their health & fitness goals
I love inspiring and motivating women. I love it when I have helped women lose a dress size, or run their first fun run, or achieve something they never thought they could.
I love it when women enjoy my classes and workouts and how great they feel afterwards – even though they might hate me during the session!
I learn so much from all these women – the discussions and things we talk about at class is amazing. We help each other solve 1st world problems – what to have for dinner, how to get kids to eat healthier, how to toilet train children, what movies to watch, how to make their meals healthier, what books to read, where we are up to in Grey’s Anatomy or Revenge, where to go on date night! You get the drift!
These women both in person and on-line are so inspirational, that they inspire me!

I get a real satisfaction when I see women’s faces light up when they can fit into their pre baby clothes for the first time, or they have lost a certain amount of weight, or they can do 20 push ups in a row, or they have run nonstop for 60 minutes, they have more energy in their day, they enjoy cooking delicious & healthy meals for themselves and their family – the list goes on. The happiness in their voices and the sparkle in their eyes, usually brings tears to mine! It is for all these reasons that I love my job and I am motivated and strive to keep doing what I do, the best that I can.

So what is it that I do?

Apart from being a mum & a wife, I also run a Women’s only outdoor fitness business, based in Melbourne, called Blue Sky Health & Fitness (www.blueskyfitness.com.au). I teach bootcamps to women of all ages, sizes and fitness abilities, in a friendly and motivating environment. I also run 3 Mums & Bubs sessions a week as well, where mums can bring their children, but still get a great workout. As well as that I also doing 1:1 Personal Training, mainly with women at their homes.

Training women and mum’s in particular is my passion. The things that are achieved, the friendships and camaraderie that are formed at these sessions is so motivational and inspiring. It makes getting up at 5.15am every day SO worthwhile.

I knew that I would never be able to run my bootcamps everywhere, but I wanted to help as many women and mums as I possibly could reach their goals, get fit, healthy & feel good about themselves as I could. So I developed Mummy Bootcamp @ Home (www.mummybootcampathome.com.au). And that is exactly what it is. A 28 day video workout bootcamp that mums (and anyone else) can do at a time and place that suits them. I have women all over Australia and the UK doing these bootcamps. We motivate and inspire each other via a closed Facebook group and the results these women are getting is just amazing! After the 28 days, they have all the tools they need to continue this healthy lifestyle forever (the meal plans, recipes, hints & tips and of course access to the videos forever).

I love working with other like minded women – Collette from Cut out the Crap is a perfect example. I love reading the COTC blogs, her recipes are great, her determination for health is inspiring. I too am Gluten, Dairy & Sugar free and the books and products that Collette has developed and sells compliment my beliefs and what I also like to teach my clients. I have been told many times that my clients like that I practice what I preach. I eat healthy, I am healthy, I exercise and look after myself. I live a healthy lifestyle! But I am also a busy mum – so no using you are too busy to achieve your goals. If you want it badly enough, you will achieve them!

If I could leave you with some inspirational words of wisdom, it would have to be ‘know that you are worth it.’ If you want to make a change (be it big or small) in your life, think to yourself, how badly do you want to change. If the drive, motivation and determination is there, you will do it. You will WANT to do it. The change may be something big like a career change, moving states or countries, going travelling, it might be something health & fitness related – losing weight, toning up, eating healthier, doing a fun run. No matter what it is, if you want it bad enough, you will get there! You just need to make the decision and believe in yourself.

And if you want to get fit, lose weight and feel good about yourself, I CAN help you do it! You just need to be committed and ready to make the changes!

Oh and I now LOVE running!