Michelle Bridges VS Normal (BUF) Girls!

 Our trainers have just been reading Michelle Bridges’ 10 Fitness Secrets in Women’s Health Magazine. She sure is one motivated woman!The article got us debating whether everyday gals really need to do everything this woman-of-steel does to stay trim, taught, healthy and happy. So today, we check out Michelle’s Top 10 Tips and tell you whether we agree and also, how you can channel her advice and apply it to your own life, without going OTT!Tip #1 – Michelle sees a personal trainer twice a weekWe totally agree that you need to have a plan ready to go when you hit the gym (or the park) and most of the time, it’s so much nicer to have someone else do your thinking for you and put together a kick-butt fitness plan that will, erm, kick your butt! We’ll let you in on a little secret… MOST trainers have PTs of their own (at least some of the time) and we see this as an incredibly important investment in our health. If we’re a little low on funds, we join in on group sessions, download the latest YouTube workout, or drag our friends kicking and screaming on runs just like the rest of you. We’re with you on tip #1 Michelle!Tip #2 – Michelle has to train very hard to maintain her physiqueWe believe her! Why? Because so do we! Unfortunately, there are not many women out there over the age of 25 who don’t have to work to keep (or create) their ideal physique and personal trainers are no different. Be honest with yourselves – if you feel like you’ve been a little lazy with your fitness lately, you probably have! If you feel like you’ve gained a few kilos that could do with shifting, it’s probably time to cut down on the excess sugar and time spent in front of the TV. I can guarantee the only reason your trainer looks consistently fit is because she/he works at it daily.Tip #3 – Michelle relies on consistency, not motivationYep, yep and yep. Moving a lot, every day, is a necessity. Take every opportunity to walk, climb, jump and step and instead of bemoaning that stair climb, take it as an opportunity to nurture your body’s most basic desire… to move! Don’t feel like exercising seriously? Go for a long walk instead, or do something fun, like turn on the music and dance! Who knows, partway through you might find your body responds and then voila! Suddenly you’re dropping down to pump out a few pushups… then squats…. a little plank hold… etc.Tip #4 – Michelle trains every day… or at least she aims to!Michelle aims for 7 workouts each week but is pretty happy with herself if she gets 5 in. We like to aim for 6 workouts per week (it’s cool to make some of these remedial sessions, like yoga, by the way) and one lovely rest day, where there’s no pressure to do anything active at all! Strangely, these are often the days we end up spending hours in the surf, meeting girlfriends for long walks on the sand, or setting off for a cruisy afternoon jog. Sometimes taking the pressure off is the perfect way to create motivation… as soon as you don’t have to, suddenly you’re dying to get going!Tip #5 – Michelle eats superfoods (whole foods rich in nutrients) every dayAbsolutely, positively, completely agreed on this one! Leafy greens, veggies in all the colours of the rainbow, organic and hormone-free proteins, good fats from nuts, eggs and avocados, lovely little superfood bites like goji berries and raw cacao. Every single day, without fail. This is the path to great health people!Tip #6 – Michelle never eats fast foodWell, a girl should never say never BUT put it this way, you’d be hard pressed to catch any Bottoms Up! trainers ordering takeout. The closest we get is the odd gluten-free, veggie-packed pizza (1-2 slices only) with a HUGE side salad… and even that only happens on rare occasions. Why? Because takeout is typically packed with sodium, gluten, sugar, nasty fats, days-old or frozen food and processed muck that will freak out your hormones. If you love your body, forget ordering those Chinese noodles and whip up a quick omelet or ginger/chilli stir-fry instead. No ingredients? How about some natural yoghurt with nuts and berries? If being low on time is your complaint, visit eatfitfood.com.au and have freshly prepared, organic meals delivered to your door daily, or order an organic fruit/veg box from lettucedeliver.com.au. Easy, fast, real food.Tip #7 – Michelle trains multiple muscle groups in her workoutsChalk up another point for Michelle! Functional training, using multiple muscle groups, is the way to go. Squat-Rows, Pushup-Thrusts, Lunge-Press, Plank-Leg-Lifts, the list goes on! Get creative and your bod will thank you for it by slimming down and tightening up in half the amount of time.Tip #8 – Michelle won’t allow negotiations with herself pre-trainingThis means she won’t engage in negative self-talk, or allow herself to think, “I’ll train later/tomorrow”. Instead, she goes into robot mode and just does it! Our clients start training as early as 5:30am, so they know from experience that the hardest part of ANY workout will always be lifting their heads off the pillow and getting themselves there in the first place! Once you’re in motion, the rest becomes easy, or at least somewhat enjoyable. Nike had it right, Just Do It and you’ll reach your goals in no time.Tip #9 – Michelle sets goalsMichelle’s talking mostly in-workout goals here, like burning a certain number of kilojoules, running a particular distance, or completing a certain number of reps during a workout. We love this approach but think it’s also super important to set yourself longer-term training goals too, like entering your first triathlon, or finishing the City2Surf! Make sure you include some nutrition goals in there too. Maybe avoiding coffee for four weeks, kicking mid-week alcohol serves to the curb, or saying no to sugar for a full 10 days.Tip #10 – Michelle has a strong sense of self-worthThis is what being a Bottoms Up! girl is all about. Make sure you always talk to yourself and others in a positive way and remember, it’s OK to fall apart sometimes, as long as you can pick yourself back up and have another go.Summary - we think Michelle's got it all pretty spot-on! You don't have to be as hardcore as she is in terms of her workouts but if you water it all down a little, you've got the perfect workout and nutrition plan for your everyday girl!OUR BUF TOP TIP!Appreciate life in all its quirkiness, soak up the beauty all around you, show your family and friends how much you love them, eat well and stay active… always.