In the beginning (part 1).........

In the late 1990’s I remember watching Demi Moore in GI Jane and “those abs”. I wanted that fabulous six pack and to be strong, tough, yet still feminine like Demi. However at the end of each day after working in my stressful IT sales job and picking the kids up I was so tired that I sat on the couch had a few drinks and nibbles and “relaxed”. The next morning I would look at myself naked in the mirror and say today was the day I would gain control of how I looked. I did regular exercise, I even did a few corporate triathlons at one stage, but on the weekends or at night I still had those few drink and other treats. I deserved it right? After all I worked bloody hard, I did have kids, I was only a few kilos heavy, and .......I am sure there were plenty of other justifications and excuses.

Then one day I woke up and realised that at 32yrs old, and 30% bodyfat, Demi’s abs were never going to magically appear for me. I was going to have to change. I am not sure if there was an incident that inspired the change, but I do I remember that day like it was today. Something had lit a fire inside me and I knew that I deserved better than what I was giving myself. I finally understood that all the responsibility to change was with me.

Over the next 4 months I trained weekly with a PT, I read books and magazines, I talked to people about fitness and health and successfully dropped my bodyfat to 22%. The journey had begun. My self esteem increased, I become more successful in my job and life was getting better. At that time I was training in a bodybuilding gym, and around comp time when the girls were leaning down I came face to face with Demi’s abs. That was it for me, I decided that to gain my long term desire of the six pack I would become a figure body builder!

So two years after getting into pretty good shape for 30 something mother of two, I decided it was time to “get serious”. We had made a move from Melbourne to Brisbane, so I did some research and found myself a trainer who could take me from what I was to figure competitor. Nunzio Lo Castro was a former Mr World, and he created amazing changes in the first month of training with him. As I had been weight training for two years I had some muscle to work with, and being the focussed type I embraced the nutrition changes with open arms. Within the first month I dropped 3kgs, and I had a visible 4 pack – a little soft but it was there. GI Jane was on her way.

In December 2002, one month after starting with the amazing Nunzio, I was struck down with a mystery illness. I had extremely high fevers, was covered in a rash, and my whole body was so stiff that I was unable to roll over in bed without excruciating pain. I had test after test and no one could work out what was happening to me. The possibilities ranged from Ross River Fever to Meningococcal – which resulted in the Health Dept getting involved and all of my family taking a horrid anti biotic that turned their pee bright orange. I eventually started to recover with the aid of some heavy duty medication and I left hospital after a few weeks. The final prognosis was a rare form of rheumatoid arthritis which I still need to manage today.

So In Feb 2003 my dream of getting on stage that October with GI Jane abs seemed crushed.

Part II tomorrow.

Lisa