Michelle Bridges work out session 12WBT at Adelaide Showgrounds, Aug 10, 2013 Source: Supplied
Michelle Bridges practises what she preaches and it pays off. The trainer looks amazing as sge arrives at the Men's Style 10th Birthday Party at The Ivy on September 10, 2013. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images) Source:Getty Images
IF YOU haven’t done the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation then chances are you’ve heard about it because it’s ALL anyone is talking about.
Lunchtime workplace conversations are overrun with comments such as, “MB says to eat this” and “Mich says to do that”. Oh yes, Michelle Bridges is so much a part of the Aussie venacular that she has her own nickname.
It’s not hard to understand why. The muscly personal trainer with a razor-sharp glare has developed an almost cult-like status by helping tens of thousands of Aussies lose over 700,000 kilos since launching the online weight-loss program three years ago.
“I’m the real deal, I don’t sell magic potions or lotions or quick fixes. I know what works,” Bridges tells news.com.au over the phone as she rushes to board a plane. “I’ve talked people off the ledge. I understand how to get the job done.”
This ‘take no prisoners’ approach to health has made her tens of millions of dollars as people clamour to sign up to the program that encourages devotees to work out six times a week.
“It’s not strict. It’s about being a woman or man of your word,” Bridges explains. “Every day you have to brush your teeth and every day you have to take a shower. Is that about being strict or is that just consistent? Let’s get real, let’s not make a song and dance about it.”
Whatever her approach, Bridges gets results.
Julia Love, who is two weeks into the program believes her work on weight-loss reality program The Biggest Loser Australia is the reason Bridges has such a passionate following.
“People have seen what she can do in really drastic cases and are encouraged by those results,” says the 26-year-old. “Personal weight-loss and fitness goals are definitely achievable under Michelle Bridges.”
It’s not just women drinking the kool-aid either. Father-of-two Jeff Dawes lost 22 kilos in 28 weeks after signing up to the program earlier this year and now says he can’t stomach greasy food such as his favourite fish and chips.
“The first month was very tricky,” says Dawes. “Weighing food and following shopping lists dominated our life and my wife got a little bit over it after a while. But eventually you get used to it. Now I just watch my portions, I don’t have the cravings for sugar that I used to, I don’t drink at all during week and if I go out with friends, I exercise harder in the morning.”
But like all ‘MB groupies’, Dawes, 42, stresses that you have to want to change or it won’t work.
This sentiment is echoed by Sydney-based life coach specialist Kylie Ryan who says there are people who struggle with their weight because they don’t know the right things to eat and there are people who struggle because they have a mental block.
“Saying ‘just do it’ to the latter group won’t work because they need to work through their issues,” says Ryan. “My experience has been that people come to me after programs with personal trainers, which are focused on food and exercise so they can get their mind in the right place.”
In her defense Bridges says she does offer the full gamut of assistance including mindset videos and additional support through forums.
“I tailored the program to align with people that are super busy,” she says. “Basically I wrote a program for myself.”
Michelle Bridges 12WBT party in Adelaide Aug 10, 2013. Source: Supplied
Bridges is banking on this online forumla being a winner because she is taking her 12-week craze to the land of obesity, America. Determined to be to fitness what Jamie Oliver is to nutrition MB is throwing down the gauntlet to her northern counterparts.
“It’s early days but I’m yet to see a trainer in America who is truly making a difference. I’m not talking about getting a celeb red carpet ready. I want to get mums and dads, school teachers, bus drivers and local shop owners involved.”
Taking on middle America is a tall order but with her drive, we have no doubt Bridges could achieve anything.
Michelle’s top health tips
• Tell your friends and family what you are doing and ask them to support you over the next 12 weeks. By saying it out loud to your family, friends and colleagues you are making a commitment to yourself and others and have the added benefit of having your own little support crew
• Throw out all the crap food in the house. Clear out the cupboards of all the sugary, processed and tempting refined foods that have been holding you back. Restock with fresh whole foods.
• Take a before picture of yourself as well as taking your measurements before starting your program. Even though it might be a daunting task, you’ll be so grateful you did it when you start hitting your goals and have something to remind yourself of how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved
• Set goals for yourself and plan how you are going to achieve them. Plan in 12 month, 6 month, 3 month and even 1-month blocks and make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Based and don’t forget to tie your goals to a reward.
'The Biggest Loser' TV show trainer Shannon Ponton, with former contestant Alison Braun, and fellow trainer Michelle Bridges. Pic Channel Ten. Source: Supplied
• When it comes to weight loss, diet is everything. It’s even more important than exercise. Remember for days when things get out of control and life gets in the way of exercise, that it is 80 per cent nutrition and 20 per cent exercise, so if you nail your nutrition you can stay on track.
• Write your goals and positive affirmations out on post it notes and stick them up on your light switches and above door handles - so you have constant little, visual reminders to keep you on track.
• Practice portion control. Eating well is more than just making good food choices. It is also about eating correct portion sizes. You can be eating all the right foods, but far too much of them.
• Getting organised is key. Whether that’s shopping in advance, cooking a week’s worth of meals on Sunday and freezing them, planning when you’re going to do your workouts or getting your gym gear ready the night before, this will help to ensure you stay on track.
• Once you’ve scheduled in your workouts, think of them as appointments you just can’t miss... just like a doctor or a dentist appointment - you wouldn’t just pull out of one of those at the last minute
• Follow the 10 minute rule... on those days you really don’t feel like doing anything, just put on your shoes and head out the door for 10 minutes. Believe me, 99 per cent of the time, once you start you’ll find you actually feel better and just carry on.
• Be consistent. Human nature dictates that at times all of us will give into temptation, overindulge or skip a workout. This is life and we are all human, but it is how you handle yourself afterwards that is important. Consistency is key and it is all about picking up where you left off and getting back on with it.
