Is Online Training A Good Option For You?

Have you ever signed up for an online program, only to get totally distracted and have your access expire before you’ve had a chance to complete the tasks? I have plenty of times and it’s so frustrating! Each time, I ultimately only had myself to blame. It’s a very common occurrence when it comes to online training too.

To succeed at online training, you need to be self motivated and ready to commit to your goal, rain, hail or shine! I would like you to meet Larissa, who joined me in 2013 for online coaching. Larissa found me on a website that featured some of my clients results and hunted me down to see if I could train her, despite living in NSW and me being in VIC. In 24 weeks she lost 74.5cm and 8.6kg of scale weight.

As you can see by the photos below, her body composition changed dramatically but we can’t be 100% sure how much body fat was lost or lean mass was gained as Larissa’s only form of body fat measurement was with gym floor staff at her gym using the skinfold callipers. This is Larissa’s experience with online training. As she explains how she felt as she went about following the plan I had set for her, you’ll see she is also quite a loveable character!

“I have gained a lot of knowledge on the human body & proper nutrition that backs your training, so you don’t feel like a poor little mouse on the wheel. There is so much rubbish out there in the world when it comes to nutrition, training and quick fixes etc. it puts your head in a spin. I like that Annette was teaching according to science. Nothing less. That was the BINGO moment for me.

Annette’s motto is: Train smart, eat healthy, live well! Well, Annette certainly taught me that! To me, she is like a walking talking encyclopedia. Full of knowledge on any subject I brought up. Or injury. Or things I had issues with. Wow…what an incredible woman, who excels in her chosen career. Lucky me having her train me!

I found a trainer I wanted to learn more from. More importantly, I KNOW I am on the right track with no doubts and I have my smile back. PRICELESS! I am not back where I want/need to be yet……. but I know I soon will be. There is no other option. After all persistence overrides resistance. There is no way I could ever change my new lifestyle. This is it! Simples”

Notice Larissa’s determination to succeed and her eagerness to learn and apply. Success is dependant on this! Larissa had planned a girls weekend which she wanted to bail on. Instead she set herself a smart goal, “By September 30th 2013 I want to get back to my old self & fit into my old clothes ready for our girls weekend in Sydney which I wanted to chicken out of”. She also wanted to lose 10kg of body fat and do an unassisted chin up.

Larissa knew her weaknesses, she was an all or nothing girl so even though I was happy for her to consume red wine and dark chocolate, she chose not too saying for her “It’s a rollercoaster I cannot get off. I would be setting up for failure. Failure is not an option”.

Larissa kept a weekly diary of her first 12 weeks. This is how see started that ended up with her achieving these results.

Week 1 – I did… every work out asked of me. And made sure my meals were precise to my knowledge. NO EXCEPTIONS is what I keep telling myself, whether it came down to getting my rump to the gym early on a freeze your freckle off morning… Or, the desire to murder a teddy bear biscuit but I felt relieved to have started the journey.

Week 2 – I did exactly what my trainer asked. No questions asked. And I was on it like a fat kid on a smarty…..all over it. Getting the strength training program right this week. I feel I am on the right path. I discovered eating Teddy Bear biscuits was a habit, not a craving. I discovered I MUST work on stretching, my tightnesses are holding me back. MY PET HATE.

Week 3 – Last week I found out a few things in my blood test. So, I went to an iridologist that I always use to go to in Sydney. He gave me a few tonics, and one to clean me out. I always joked I was full of s**t…but seriously, I am over spending time on the porcelain throne, it’s been a big week! I feel tired and weak and I’m hoping my blood pressure comes back up to normal.

Week 4 – I am trying to focus mainly on pushing through on weight training. Cannot wait to finish the detox tonic. I have now also implemented a thyroid and hormone tonic which I can’t wait to feel it kick in. I know I am on the right road with my training and nutrition. One third of the way through, with eating spot on.

Week 5 – I really focused on lower abs and lower back, stretching a lot too. I did my measurements as requested, once again with gritted teeth. And body fat % ☹ We all must have an embarrassing moment. Mine was getting the calliper test done. I got dragged into a glass office where everyone could see in. I told her without hesitation no way in hell this is not an option. I showed her the form to fill out. She agreed. Took me to the womens change room where I stripped down to bra/undies. The room was full. She worked her way though the areas to be tested. Grabbing, shaking, grabbing, shaking my blubber in front of all. Omg, you do not have to ask what the colour of red looks like! Positive note….MOTIVATION!! But I do feel I look better when I look in the mirror. It makes me smile knowing I am succeeding. I can see the light.

Week 6 – I know ever since I started this, I have been busting my freckles off at the gym. I am always ever so glad to walk out of there. So far, I’m succeeding. I’m so excited to bring it home on the half way mark. I’m feeling proud. I had a friend down for four days, and not once gave in to food or alcohol. Nor Max Brenner café. Ate out with great compliant meals too. I survived a kids birthday party. I survived a wedding….no alcohol either. And survived a 50th wedding anniversary party, took my own meal just in case….thankfully! Worked through dad having a heart attack. My chosen grandmother had one 6days later. Worked through the stress. Did not cave for comfort food. The old me is back. Determined as ever. Woman on a mission. They always joke about a woman scorned by a lover…that is NOTHING compared to a woman feeling trapped in her own body!

Week 7 – Got through the week and I feel sore.

Week 8 – Wanting to smash out the assisted pull up machine. We now love each other. Persistence overrides resistance. I’m feeling strong.

Week 9 – Nothing eventful this week. I am still on track. I hate the scales with a passion. We will never ever be friends. I feel excited and can’t wait to see how I look at the end though.

Week 10 – I did a STUPID thing…I went too deep on the assisted dip machine!!The diagrams at the gym are wrong, as are the posters on the wall! I feel annoyed at myself and very annoyed that the gym has those posters there!

Week 11 – Before I started I wrote a list of pro’s and con’s for looking like a puffa fish and unfit. Only positive thing I could come up with in having extra blubber is having my boobs as palm pillows. They are now on their way back to being freckles….sigh. I feel sad lol what bird wouldn’t!

Week 12 – I did it! Yeah girl I’m bringing it home. I wanted to play with weights on my last week, and see how far I have come, compared to weights I use to do.

Through gritted teeth it was photo time, measurement time & calliper test time. For the calliper test, the change room was empty this time. Typical, now that I have lost a bit lol. Anyway, she was so shocked in the changes, and said I was “Smokin girl” (I thought she needed to go to Specsavers) She wanted to know more about my training. Who was my trainer, the work’s. Weird, as in the beginning I got the impression she didn’t want to do the measurements. And why did I choose an online trainer she kept asking? She wanted in! Who wouldn’t, right? But she was lovely throughout my challenge, she always cheered me on. High 5’s etc when I saw her. She always knew the right thing to say at the right time which was helpful.

The 12 week challenge wasn’t always easy. I had little demons I had to hit on the head too. But, I love love loved doing this program. What isn’t there not to love??

I loved…… Learning a different side of nutrition. What to eat, when and WHY. Yes, I am one of those people who need a WHY.

I loved…… Learning off the website. I was always a lover of reading the paper each day. I soon loved typing any random word into the MP website and….. VOILA! It was all there. Explained in detail. And a summary, for when/if I got lost in the science of it.

I loved…… Going to the gym with an actual purpose & goal for each strength session. I would quickly go over it in the car, visualised what I would do. I picked a favourite or least favourite exercise of each session, and just smash it. Persistence overrides resistance I believe. I must say, I made sure each session that each muscle trained was murdered.

I loved…… the conditioning sessions. Always have. As you never really reach your goal. You always aim to smash it….harder!! And who would of thought I would love hill sprints. Mind you, I felt extremely uncomfortable doing them at the beach where all the gorgeous, tanned perfect bodies train and do the same thing in their skimpy outfits. Positive in this….MASSIVE motivation.

I loved….. all of my training. I looked forward to each session.