*I have been keeping an eye on Kylie over the last few months and watching how far she has come in the last 7 months since joining TF. Kylie joined us a quiet timid young woman whose goal was simply to turn up to class, and do something for herself. She kicked that goal through the universe! Not only did she turn up to class, but she has transformed every angle of her life in so many ways! Besides the fact that she clearly looks amazing with all of her hard work, the biggest stand out for me is how far she has come in her confidence, strength and fitness. When I first met Kylie you could barely get two words out of her. She almost never smiled and struggled with coordination which spiraled her confidence further. As she pushed on and attended class week in week out, changed your nutrition, consulted with the relevant specialists in line with her needs, Kylie started to really shine. Today she smiles all the time. She has a wicked sense of humour and is willing to give anything a go. Her coordination has improved immensely and her strength and fitness is amazing. She looks sensational and her confidence has sky rocketed in class. As well as helping herself, through this journey Kylie has also helped her daughters, implementing what she has learned with her family. It’s an amazing journey and I am super super super proud of her!!! Kylie, you are a massive inspiration to women everywhere!!!
Here is Kylie’s story:
“Before I started with Terrific Fitness I had spent 6 years at home raising my girls. A very big adjustment for me and as much as I love my children, I really wasn’t happy being at home. Last year the opportunity arose for me to return to work 3 days a week and I started to feel like my old self was starting to come back. My girls were older and when I saw an ad for Terrific Fitness doing circuit classes in my suburb at 7.30pm on the two nights I didn’t work, I thought that was a sign. My husband would be home from work; I could get the kids into bed and then go to class. So, very nervously I signed up in around June 2015. At first I used to dread going to class, scared that I wasn’t co-ordinated and fit enough and in total fear that I might end up sore the next day!! I had seen all these people that loved exercise and craved it and whilst I didn’t understand it at all, secretly I hoped that one day that would be me. I was over 76kg at that point and just wanted to do something for myself. I didn’t set my goal too high; I thought if I just turned up, that would be making a positive step. I had paid my gym membership for years at another gym and went all of about 3 times, so actually attending would be an achievement for me! I saw the ad, looked up the times and the place and thought I really don’t have an excuse not to do this!
I loved the type of classes, the fact that it was a community and I would be more accountable having to advise and explain any absences rather than a usual gym that they don’t care whether you attend or not.
Initially I just attended (if I couldn’t think of a good enough excuse not to!), gradually I started trying more and more as my fear of having a heart attack or being sore the next day subsided. I began to love the feeling of knowing I had worked my muscles and being sore the next day was no longer something I feared. I now love attending class; I have tried new and different classes and would love to be able to train more, however working full time I need to balance time with my girls as well. I was doing 3 classes a week last year, this year back to two, but I love it.
Using muscle testing, I found out I was allergic to gluten and lactose and my girls are allergic to gluten and dairy so I changed all the meals that I served in my house. Not wanting my children to have any temptations, I stopped buying chocolate and junk foods (well they still are able to have gf junk and dairy free chocolate I’m not that tough!!). I stopped eating a family sized bar of chocolate every few days and snacked on a nibble mix of seeds and nuts etc. if I felt like something while watching TV in the evening. Watching my food and my cravings for different types of foods, I can see now that I was guilty of emotional eating. Whilst I still slip up every now and then and allow myself a “treat” here and there, I now realise the after effects of that “treat” and now accept that I really am allergic to lactose. It just isn’t worth it, now I just choose not to eat something that is going to harm me (and make things unpleasant for those in the same room as me!!).
I didn’t really notice the changes in myself save that I knew my clothes were getting too big and I started to fit into my old clothes. When I went home to Queensland for Christmas though, my friends and family noticed huge differences in me. We went for a long walk one day with the kids to take them to the park; I was having running races with the girls to distract them from their tired legs and piggy backing my little one while racing my eldest. My dad made the comment that he hadn’t seen me this active in years – and I wasn’t even puffed or out of breath at all and I had been running! The same thing kept happening while playing with the girls on the beach. When we were in Fiji in January, I realised that I felt pretty fantastic and wasn’t worried about wearing my togs at the beach. Things were just easier. I was thinking about all the running I had been doing on the beach with the girls and thought to myself, ‘well if I can do it with them, why can’t I just run?’ I got up out of bed, put on my runners and started walking fast, then jogging, then running, then walking and running again all over the island! I had learnt how to control my breathing and obviously my fitness had really improved. I couldn’t believe it. I would be 40 in a few days and was running in Fiji! I have to admit, I felt a little proud of myself! Mostly though, to get over the fear I had of having a heart attack if I ran or did too much strenuous exercise felt amazing.
Today I am very happy. I am working full time; I have got my confidence back and fit in the suits I was wearing before I had my girls. My girls are doing well at school and kindy/childcare. Last year was fantastic for me. Terri’s seminars helped me to get my head on straight and work out my priorities and what is important to me. Terri also pointed out to me some issues I was having with my neck and back etc. and suggested I go and see Dr Angela Kopp [chiropractor]. With regular appointments the issues I was having have been largely resolved, my sleep has improved and my ability and mobility to do some of the exercises has improved dramatically!
While weight loss has never been a burning goal for me, having the balance in my life, the organisation skills, the support network, the feeling of community, the knowledge that “it is ok to spend a few hours on myself each week”, and changing what we eat, the weight has dropped without much effort at all. For the next few rounds I want to focus on toning my muscles and having fun. I feel much more myself again today. I feel fitter and healthier and more in control of my life.
[When asked, “What really gets you out of your comfy lounge to attend training?”] I love it. I love the feeling of achievement, the feeling of working and spending time on myself for myself. I know I am worth it and am no longer feeling guilty for wanting to take time to do something for myself!
Do it, it will be the best decision you ever make for yourself.” – Kylie Ciavarella
– Kylie Ciavarella
