Kirsten Thrush

My Journey

I felt flattered when Leanne asked me to be a part of this amazing site. At first I thought my story wasn’t worthy of being on here but on reflection thought I would do it and hopefully inspire some other mums out there.

I have two children aged 2 and 4.  When my youngest was born (November 2009) I was overweight and unhappy with how I looked and felt. 

When my littlest was 11 months (October 2010) I saw advertised in the paper that one of the local gyms was running a “women’s downsize me” programme I decided to give it a go.

It involved a group of 20 women training as a group together, meeting once a week for motivational talks as well as getting all nutrition and training programmes.

The fact there was a prize for the greatest fat percentage lost didn’t even factor for me, I just wanted to be happier within myself.  Under the guidance of Marlene Henderson I learnt how to eat and exercise to both get rid of fat and to feel better. At the end of the 10 week programme, (December 2010) I was 8kg and 7% body fat lighter.  For my efforts I won a makeover, but even more importantly I was hooked on the training and on looking and feeling better.

Following this I kept going to the gym but relaxed my eating.  In February 2011 at one of my 4 weekly gym assessments I mentioned to Marlene that I needed a new goal to keep me motivated.  Marlene suggested I think about entering a bodybuilding competition as I had a good muscle base.  March 2011 I decided to give it a go. 

I didn’t know what to expect – no offence to anyone but I thought bodybuilders were lean as they didn’t eat much and that they were all self centred.

My 16 weeks cut started May 2011 and on 27 August 2011 I stepped onto the stage for the INBA South Pacific Championships in my hometown Taupo, New Zealand. 

I was 18kg lighter than when I first started the downsize me programme ten months earlier and I had lost 15% body fat but more importantly I felt great. I was proud of what I had achieved and how I looked.

What an amazing feeling.  My preconceptions were shattered. I had never eaten more in my life and the people I met at the competition were all so friendly and more than willing to talk to a newbie like me

During my journey the comment I most often got was – “How do you fit it all in? How do you be a mum to two toddlers, a wife, work full time and do the training”.  My reply to this was that if you want something bad enough you make it work. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. For me it meant getting up at 530 to go to the gym to do my cardio so that I was home when the kids woke up in the morning.

It meant spending my lunch hour at the gym doing my weights (and having lunch at my desk afterwards).

My evenings could then be spent with my wonderful supportive family.  I couldn’t have done any of this without my number one supporter, my husband.

I caught the bug and will definitely be back again next year!