Debbie is a single Mum to two kids – one 6 the other 4, and holds down a full time demanding job. She has a tough commute too.
Debbie – her blue steel pose
That alone would fill the excuses bin to full and over the brim. So much so that inevitably nothing happens.
Not with Debbie, aka the Slevinator, to her work collegues.
“I am amazed to find something I love doing that keeps me going, rather than dreading the gym I look forward to it I fit the sessions into my lunchtimes, and I have made it an unspoken rule at work “Slevo doesn’t miss training” meaning that nobody schedules lunchtime meetings with me Monday, Wednesday or Friday. This is the ONLY thing I do for myself so I am selfish about it”
In the last 9 months, Debbie has transformed herself from overweight and self conscious to a strong, confident and toned working mum.
The Slevinator’s Water Bottle is an extension of her hand
It all started with the nutrition for Debbie and a making her conscious of what she was doing around this minefield. With so much confusion a simple food diary kept her accountable and sticking to the basic principles. Protein and veggies and some rice, spuds eaten at the right times.
But it wasn’t all happy go lucky at the start. Her biggest obstacles lay within herself including the usual sense of laziness, the kids, bad habits and despondency and feeling of “what’s the point nothing seems to work for me over the long term”.
Her journey started with weight training and the feeling of empowerment that comes with it. Over time she has swept aside back complaints, tiredness and gradually pushed herself forward.
Leaner, firmer,fitter and more importantly mentally and physically stronger
She pursues strength and everything that comes with it
“It’s the best thing I have ever done for my health and fitness, and also mentally, being disciplined in this regard carries over into other aspects of my life. Feeling strong for the first time is the best feeling ever”
That is not to say that everything is as simple as ABC
“I DO continually fall off the wagon but it’s less and less, and I have realized that if you fall off you get straight back on, not throw your hands in the air and say OH WELL THAT’S THAT THEN and have a pizza”.
And as always, the knock on effect with her children is paramount and a driving force behind her actions:
“the best reinforcer is when I see my children making healthy choices as a result of watching what I do. Yesterday my son ate red pepper off my plate for the very first time and realized he likes it. Also, I bought a skipping rope this weekend for easy access to a high impact interval training session at any time, and my daughter skipped with me! Win win!!!”
The future brings with it challenges and how to keep momentum but Debbie finds that age, children and the challenge of eating right will keep her on the right track to further success
“The challenge of making my eating habits as clean as they can be and also the challenge of getting stronger until I am at the peak of my fitness, which at 43 years old is quite something”
