Find Your Summer Body - Hall of Fame

A special congratulations goes out to the following mums who, through their hard work and dedication have found themselves in our latest Body Beyond Baby - Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge Hall of Fame.

Overall winner

Charlotte Weiss,  mum of two (3.5y & 9m)

With a total weight loss of 8kg, 16.9cm from around her waist, 21.5mm of abdominal fat and a personal push ups  improvement from being able to do 13 on her knees at the start of the challenge to 10 on her toes at the end of just 8 week.  Congratulations Charlotte!

Charlotte wins our total transformation prize package which features hair and make-up session from Diligio Hair and Beaute Salon in Randwick (they have childcare too), a three hour styling session with Coach Me Beautiful and a family photographic package with Julia Wheeler Photography

First Runner up

Olivier Cayzer, mum of two (2y & 9m)

With a total weight loss of 8kg, 16.9cm from around her waist, 21.5mm of abdominal fat and a personal push ups  improvement from being able to do 13 on her knees at the start of the challenge to 10 on her toes at the end of just 8 week.  Congratulations Charlotte!

Olivia wins a mobile massage voucher from Eastern Suburbs Mobile Massage

Contact number 0411 628811 (no website available)

2nd Runner Up

Gina Aaron, mum of one (6m)

Gina also lost 8kg and a total of 45cms with 21cm around her waist.  She improved her run by 3 minutes winning that category.  Gina improved her push ups by 20 on her knees and improved her cardio test by over a minute.  She also started her prone on her knees and improved to her toes. Well done Gina

Gina wins a lovely L’Occitane gift box

3rd Runner Up

Sally Leonard, mum of two (3 & 5yrs)

Sally was joint winner of our Watch Your Winter Waistline 12 Week Challenge and continues on her journey as joint runner up of our 8 Week Challenge.  Sally has now lost 20kg and 68cm since the winter challenge with 8kg and 31cm being lost in the last 8 weeks.    Sally continues to improve in every area of the strength and cardio test for this challenge.  Well done Sally!

Sally wins a beautiful Inspired Wellbeing Hamper

Most improved Push-ups

Adrien Meredith, mum of one (6m)

Adrien started doing 30 push ups on her knees at the beginning of the challenge to 23 on her toes

Adrien wins a lovely L’Occitane gift box

Best Push-ups (person who could complete the most push-ups to faliure)

Sally Groves, mum of one (16m)

Sally pumped out a MASSIVE 50 push ups on her toes!!!

Sally wins a lovely L’Occitane gift box

Most Improved Prone Hold

Della Stanley, mum of four (12y, 9y, 5y, 18m)

Della improved her prone by 2’22” starting at 3’38” and holding for a long 6’ after 8 weeks - just goes to show that after rebuilding from the inside out AND four children you can have super strong core strength! 

Della completed this prone hold in separate testing and not in the usual order after our oval run, so Della has stepped aside in recording the 'best' prone hold.

Della wins a lovely Champagne Afternoon Tea for two at the Langham Hotel

Best Prone Hold

Cori Weintraub, mum of two (3y & 18m)

Cori held her prone for a massive 5’18”, well done Cori!

Cori wins a lovely L’Occitane gift box

Most Improved Stamina - Beep Test

Olivia Cayzer, mum of two, (2y & 9m)

At week one Paula's best test was 4.2 and by week 8 she achieved 8.3 - again a great improvement for a mum who wasn't sure if the challenge was for her!

Olivia wins a $100 Athlete’s Foot voucher from the Bondi Junction Store

Best Stamina - Beep Test

Pippa Jokhan, mum of three (4y, 2y, 1y)

Pippa was our winner of the fastest beep test reaching a level of 9.7, well done Pippa!

Pippa also wins a $100 Athlete’s Foot voucher from the Bondi Junction Store

Most Improved Cardio Test

Eda Houghton, mum of two (2y & 6m)

Eda smashed her week 1 cardio test time by 97sec, starting at 6’22” and level 2 burpees and improving to 4’45” and level 3 burpees.

Eda also wins a $100 Athlete’s Foot voucher from the Bondi Junction Store

Fasted Cardio Test

Cori Weintraub, mum of two (3yr & 18m)

Cori also wins the fastest cardio test finishing at 3’29” and doing L4 burpees. It must be mentioned that she beat Sally G by 1”.  Well done to both of you!

Cori wins $150 Lorna Jane Voucher

Best/most Burpees in one minute

Jade Mackenzie, mum of one (17m)

Jade wins the most burpees in one minute completing 21 burpees at level 4 (chest to the ground)

Jade wins a pair of Event Cinemas Gold Class Movie Tickets

Most improved burpees in one minute

Kerry Farris, mum of two (4y& 2y)

Kerry started her burpee test completing 16 at level 1 in week one and finishing on 20 burpees at level 3 in week 8.  Keep up the great work Kerry!

Kerry wins a lovely L’Occitane gift box

Fastest Oval Run (800m)

Sarah Vine, mum of three (9m, 20m & 5y)

Sarah ran 2 laps of the oval in 3’15” which was the fastest time overall.  Sarah improved her run by 28sec in eight weeks which is very impressive. 

Sarah wins a pair Event Cinemas Gold Class Movie Tickets

Gina Aaron, mum of one (6m)

Gina improved her run by an enormous 3 minutes.  She started two laps of the oval at 7’23” in week 1 and improved to 4’23” which is a fantastic improvement.

Sunday Steps 

We also celebrated those mums who regularly turned up early on a Sunday morning for their extra cardio session at Coogee steps and awarded one mum each week with Most Improved from the week prior.

Sunday Steps week 3 Charlotte - 5’51”

Sunday Steps week 4 rained out 

Sunday Steps week 5 Alyssia Haling - 2'33"

Sunday Steps week 6 Victoria Licon - 1'12"

Sunday Steps week 7 Olivia Butler - 2'41"

Sunday Steps week 8 Olivia Butler - 1'22"

Fastest – Della 34’01” for 6 laps

All of these ladies win a Pronto Pram Cleaning Services voucher (with pick up and delivery)

A BIG thank you to all of our sponsors (listed above and links provided). To be associated with these great businesses that all offer ways of looking after and making mums life easier is fantastic and your support is much appreciated.

I guess that wraps it up - the end of 2012 is near and our third 8 Week Challenge is over.  The great news is that we will be back in 2013 with our fourth FYSB challenge - starting on February 4th there will be two phases of this challenge - one for new BBB members and a stepped up challenge for those who have completed one before so we all continue to make better and healthier lifestyle decisions, smash more of our goals and become fitter, stronger and leaner versions of ourselves - feeling absolutely fantastic in the process.

To start your 2013 in the best possible way click here to register your interest and be notified as soon as Early Bird registrations are open for our next Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge starting on 4th Feb.

My 2012

As Christmas Day comes to slow and tummy's are full, my family is either sleeping or watching TV and I have a relaxed urge to write.  Aside from the excitement that comes with small children, the anticipation of Santa Clause and the urgent unwrapping of presents, this year has been a relatively quiet one for us, yet a special one. For the first time in three years I have spent Christmas day with my sister.  With family mostly on the other side of the world having her here is wonderful and much missed. Time with family is something you forfeit in the quest for a life in a 'better' place. A place I want my children to grow up. 

2012 has been an exciting year for me. From the very first Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge which came to a close just over a year ago, to the three challenges that followed and the growth in numbers of mums who have come to be part of the Body Beyond Baby family. To our Tough Mums who have participated in two challenges to date and are set for more to come.  I am no longer doing this thing solo which is both very exciting and scary too. Many of you know Amy, a driving force and who has been with us now for a whole year. Nicole joined our team a few months ago to really look after every new mum who begins her Body Beyond Baby journey with us.  And there are more - Jade and Olivia who helped to make your Christmas celebrations a huge success.  Ruth who is on board to nurture our 'Meals that Matter' initiative and many more that play their own special role behind the scenes. We have BBB mums currently undergoing their own transformations from mum to mum AND trainer and a select few will join our team as partners in 2013 to watch this baby grow.

I am undergoing my own transformation within a new circle of advisers and friends through a program called 'Key Person of Influence'. There is only so long that you can go doing it alone and only so long that you can figure it out for yourself. My search for the next step led me to some of the most awesome people I have ever met. Both from the people leading the way, to my peers who are traveling this journey with me. To be in a room with some of the most motivated, talented and driven people I have ever met is in itself hugely inspiring.  We are all ready to sprint into 2013 and I can't wait to create and uncover what the future holds for all of us.

A huge thank you to every single person, colleague, partner and business that I have travelled through 2012 with. You are the people that make me and Body Beyond Baby what it is today. You ignite a personal challenge within me to do it all better, to rise further and to lead by example. Thank you for everything you bring to me on both a personal and professional level.

To my 'mum's'; I am where I am today because I am a mum. My two beautiful children led me to you and watching your transformations reminds me why I get out of bed in the morning. By leading by example we can change not only your life but that of those round you, of your precious children, your partners, family and friends. Your energy and motivation is inspiring and I am truly thankful to be surrounded by such wonderful women.

I am very lucky to be supported by a wonderful man who gives me the space to run my own race but the support to know I am not alone. 2013 is set to be a whole lot of fun and a massive challenge, both wonderful and stressful but I know I am on the right track and I can't wait to continue this journey.

Think about what you want your 2013 to be, who you want to be and how you want to get there. Begin to see the road ahead and take little steps, one step at a time, one day at a time and watch the world change around you. You have the ability to create whatever you want to create and to be whoever you want to be. Being a mum doesn't close doors, it opens them and gives you the ability to shape not only your world but that of the little people in your life. Make yourself proud, make them proud and create your own version of a wonderful life - whatever that may mean to you. Merry Christmas x

Find Your Summer Body - Before and After photos and Q&A with our winner Charlotte

Today we chat with Charlotte - winner of our latest Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge

What initially made you sign up to the 8 Week Challenge? 

I was inspired by two other mums who had already completed a challenge and had great results, they were looking fantastic. I was really keen to lose weight and feel better about myself, but I knew that I was going to need help staying focused and most importantly I would need care for my little guy/s so I could participate in group exercise.    

What were your initial goals and did you think you would reach them? 

I didn’t have any specific goals at the start until I was instructed to engage in some goal setting tasks. At the initial weigh-in I was thinking 10kg would be a nice amount to loose but wasn’t too sure if that was achievable. I was hesitant to ask Jen if 10kg in 8 weeks was realistic, I thought perhaps I was kidding myself and I might sound a bit silly for asking. I really did struggle with putting out there the amount of weight I wanted to try and loose and I was too afraid to upload and share my goals with the other Mums in the challenge, possibly for fear of failing.

However, I did ask Jen that day if 10kg was a realistic goal and achievable and her response was stern but effective and words that stuck in my head throughout the challenge, “you’ll only get out of this what you put in, it’s up to you”. And with that I set my goal as 10kg weight loss, even though I wasn’t 100% positive I could do it I was going to give it a good crack.

What were the easiest and most challenging aspects? 

The easiest is part for me was having someone else organise my work out and what I was going to be doing for that hour, yay! One less thing to have to think about for the day. The most challenging was changing my eating habits. Not so much avoiding what I shouldn’t eat but organising myself so that I had the right foods to eat and not skipping meals.

                                                                          

What were your favorite and least favorite bits? 

My favourite part of the challenge was seeing my fitness improve my least favourite part was the first Sunday steps and watching myself be lapped … twice!

How many sessions per week did you exercise to achieve your goals? 

Initially I did two mid-week sessions, the Saturday morning sessions and Sunday stairs. After the first 4 weeks I really felt my fitness levels improve and felt inspired as it had happened much faster than anticipated, so then a few more sessions were attended. After the halfway weigh –in my fitness levels had improved immensely and it gave me the motivation to exercise daily – I knew I had to step it up if I wanted to reach my goals.

Did you have to change your diet a lot?  

I had already started to address some of my bad eating habits but being on the challenge had reinforced the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. I loved how much the focus was on really good food ‘real food’. I didn’t have a meal plan and had never been good at keeping food journals, however constantly being educated on the foods that I had been previously eating and the foods I should be eating meant I made so many better choices.

Do you feel like your diet and exercise changes were sustainable?   

The eating part was not perfect, I was on track about 80% of the time. However, during the bad moments I was aware of it and it enabled me to learn a lot about myself, my habits and even made me realise some little emotional issues that are associated with food. It really helped me discover what is realistic for my own personal circumstances to help maintain my weight. I love eating healthy food!

In respect to regular exercise; initially I was questioning myself on whether I would have enough energy to work out as my youngest is not the best sleeper (can be up 2-3 times a night, I am  not complaining he is a pleasure to wake up to) which can leave me feeling very tiered, but by working out my energy increased and it didn’t take me long to realise that despite the night before,  I could still make the effort which overall lead to a far more productive day anyway. 

What else did you gain from your challenge experience (apart from diet and exercise)?  

A confidence within myself that I have not had for such long time and maybe never truly have. I have been underestimating what I am capable of and while cliché this challenge and all its experiences, has shown me that I am capable of so much more in so many aspects of my life and that it’s ok to be selfish, it’s not a bad word and it’s ok if I feel amazing and have it all.

What would your advice be to a new mum thinking about doing the challenge? 

I have managed to lose weight, address many of my bad eating habits (acknowledge them), exercise 4-5+ times a week, improve my mental wellbeing and I have done that amongst moving house, running a small business and sleep deprivation. It’s a wonderful and energising environment being around so may beautiful, inspirational and kind women all in a similar position working towards a common goal. It is selfish and that’s perfectly fine.

Sum up your challenge experience for us 

The first step towards a better, healthier and stronger me. Much appreciated

Charlotte wins a total make over package with:

Hair and Make-up from Diligio, 

Styling from Coach Me Beautiful 

and

 Photos with Julie Wheeler Photography

Results like this are 100% achievable within our community of mums - in fact we had four mums who achieved a weight loss of 8kg this round.  Previous rounds have seen 12+kg lost not to mention the dramatic increase in fitness, energy and emotional wellbeing.

Our first Find Your Summer Body- 8 Week Challenge for 2013 kicks off on the 4th Feb

To be notified as soon as registrations open email jenny@bodybeyondbaby.com.au 

Put SIGN ME UP in the subject line and we will be in touch soon

Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge Major Prize AND sponsor

As we gear up for our end of challenge and Christmas party tomorrow evening I am so excited to tell you more about the event and announce our major prize (which we have been working on behind the scenes to pull together our ultimate 'wish list' pamper prize!  Without our valued sponsors and partners we could not pull together these events or reward our mums with these amazing prizes.  

My first and very loud shout out goes to Mad Pizza, Bondi Beach - having had our last end of challenge party at Mad Pizza the feedback was unanimous that we had to go there again.  After more conversation Jono and his team jumped on board to sponsor our whole event, pizza's, salads and cocktails for all!  Off the back of this we then saw the opportunity to continue the tradition of a ticketed event but to half the cost to give back to our mums and then give all proceeds to charity.  We have chosen to support beyondblue's beyondbabyblues initiative because supporting those who support mums with PND is close to our hearts and supporting mums is what Body Beyond Baby is all about.  So once again a MASSIVE thank you to Mad Pizza, Bondi Beach for believing in our cause, making our event into something extra special for our mums AND enabling us to give.

Next up I am super excited to announce our major prize collaboration.  One very hard working, committed and deserving mum will walk away with:

Hair and Make-up Make Over from Diligio Hair and Beauty in Randwick (these guys also have a creche for your bub while you get pampered - my son asks me to go to the hairdressers because their playroom is so good!) 

Total Wardrobe Rejuvenation Package from Coach Me Beautiful over three hours our winner will receive:

•   Body shape analysis

•   Quick colour assessment

•   Edit and organisation of your closet

•   Creation of new outfits with existing items

•   A shopping wish list

Photographic shoot from Julia Wheeler Photography where her family can join in too to create 

some long lasting memories now she is looking and feeling amazing

I can't wait to announce the overall winner tomorrow evening and then see the results of her complete 

make over.  A massive thank you to these business that have helped our dream prize come into fruition, 

for believing in what we are doing and being willing to get behind us to support all of our Body 

Beyond Baby mums and make a difference - it's awesome to have you as part of our team!

Tuna Nicoise Style Salad

The weather is getting warmer and Summer is on its way.  Bring on yummy salads!  I have left the potato out from the traditional version of a Tuna Nicoise as many of our Body Beyond Baby Mums are currently 'no sugar'.  It still tastes delicious!






Ingredients (Serves 4)

2 x 200g tuna steaks
2 x boiled eggs, quartered
400g green beans, blanched
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 pitted kalamata olives
¼ red onion, sliced
2 cups mixed salad leaves
1 cup continental parsley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method
•    Heat a frying pan on high heat
•    Cook tuna steaks and cook for 2-3 minutes each side
•    Let tuna rest while preparing the rest of the salad
•    Whisk olive oil, vinegar and mustard together and set aside
•    Divide salad ingredients among four plates
•    Flake the tuna over the prepared salads
•    Drizzle with the dressing
•    Enjoy for lunch or dinner