My Article as published in Oxygen Fitness Magazine.
As an established fitness model competitor and bikini model champion I have reached some amazing fitness career highlights, but firstly you need to know where I have come from to reach my goals.
In 2013 I entered and won my first competition. I then went on to win my first national competition in 2015… an on to place first in competitions in the following years 2016, 2017 and most recently 2018, however rewind back to 2012, I had let myself go, I was your average skinny fat and was in the habit of drinking a few glasses of wine at dinner, 
three nights and my gym sessions were non-existent. I was an expert at putting myself last and I had given myself every excuse in the book as to why I was too busy to exercise.
You may have decided that you want to make some changes to your lifestyle and get fit, but it hasn’t happened yet. Perhaps you have started, several times, but keep falling off the wagon somewhere in the first few weeks. Or maybe you have stumbled across some pictures of your younger self before the ever-increasing demands of life in general took over and you wonder how you got where you are. Don’t worry because most of us fall into one (or all) of these categories. I have been in all three of these categories at some point.
As a child I was always physically active, participating in sports such as martial arts, athletics, dancing, gymnastics and sports aerobics. As I ventured into adulthood my level of activity decreased as my responsibilities increased and “I don’t have time” quickly became an acceptable reason not to look after myself.
It didn’t take long for this to start having a negative impact on my life in so many ways. I gained weight, made unhealthy food choices, I was tired, my self-esteem took a hard hit and I developed an unhealthy relationship with food and my body.
I hated shopping for clothes, I went out with my friends but always felt extremely self-conscious. It was a vicious cycle, I felt anxious and frustrated and this only fuelled my poor choices. Eventually I got to the point where I felt heavy, tired and just didn’t know where to start anymore. I was unhappy with myself. How did it get it so wrong.
Then came my introduction into the bodybuilding and fitness competition world. A friend from work had shown me a picture of her sister on stage at a competition and it captured my interest. Over the next 9 months I started researching the industry and a coach, but I was still not sure if I was capable of achieving something like this myself. One day after receiving an inspiring email from my soon-to-be coach I plucked up the courage to commit and haven’t looked back.
I started with a shape up plan and was so excited to see how quickly my body started to change and how much healthier I felt. What a difference a professional training and meal plan had made. It has now been almost 6 years since I last cried whilst shopping for jeans.
I wanted something that could be implemented daily and sustain long term results. I went on to start a competition preparation plan and finally stepped on stage at INBA April 2013 in my first bikini model competition, placing first in the short division and also winning the overall. Since then I have gone on to compete in another 13 competitions, in both fitness and bikini, placing in each competition and most recently placing first in the WBFF Bikini Diva on the Gold Coast.
I fell in love with this sport for many reasons. I can fit training in around a full time career and my busy lifestyle and I have learned SO much about food, fuelling my body, mindset and have loved seeing my shape change over the years and the little improvements over time.
I learn something new every day, about food, training, my body and myself. I am very goal oriented so being involved in a sport I can consistently work at and improve on works well for me. I love that I am part of a team but can train and compete individually as this best suits my lifestyle. I also love that each time I step on stage I am really competing against myself and that this journey is self-paced.
I encourage you to jump out of your comfort zone and even as a beginner you can use my 10 Steps to Fitness Model Success:
DON’T WAIT
If you’re thinking about starting a fitness and health journey, on or off the stage, don’t wait. Start it now. My only regret is that I didn’t start earlier as at 34 years of age, this is the best I have ever felt health wise, mentally and about my body.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
If I can do it, you can do it. Everybody starts somewhere. 4 years ago I never would have dreamed of stepping on stage in a bikini. Fear holds us back from doing the simplest things. All you need to do is start, with small positives steps daily, every day.
BE PATIENT
Nothing worth doing comes easy or happens overnight. Commit to your health and happiness every day, one training session at a time, one good choice after another, daily. You will get results. I promise!
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE
There are a lot of fads and gimmicks out there. Products with the promise of overnight results claim to burn fat, melt away cellulite, drop kilos fast. All they are going to do is drain your hip pocket. You will get long term results with good nutrition, a sensible training plan, daily movement and adequate rest. There is no magic pill.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Find yourself a good coach who will personalise your program and take into account your goals and personal circumstances. It is totally ok if you don’t know how to do this yourself. You seek out the services of a doctor when you are ill, a mechanic for your car or an accountant for your taxes. It is no different with your health. Your body is a complex machine, find a professional that knows how it works and can show you what you need to do. Make sure they are experienced, qualified and research their methods.
SAY NO TO NEGATIVE NANCY
Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people who are going to encourage you. It is ok to say no to people who try to discourage you, belittle your goals or sabotage you. Not everybody is going to be supportive or accepting and this often has nothing to do with you personally.
GET YOUR KIT ON
Get yourself the right tools. You don’t need to spend a fortune. Invest in a good pair of training shoes and a couple of comfortable training outfits to get you started, invest in some good educational materials such as some healthy recipe books. Grab a copy of Oxygen Magazine, it is filled with training plans, sample meal plans, recipes, motivational stories and quality information.
RECORD YOUR RESULTS
I don’t mean weigh yourself every second day. The scales are not always the best indicator of your progress. Use a tape measure and take your measurements every 2 – 4 weeks, take note of how your clothes are fitting, diarise how you are sleeping and your energy levels. Evidence of progress is a fantastic motivator!
SET YOURSELF A GOAL
Setting yourself a date is a great way to stay on track and be accountable. You might want to set yourself a goal for a photo shoot. This is a great way to mark achieving your goal. You might want to enter a fitness competition, or simply fit into a dress you really love, or go on a holiday. These can also be ways to celebrate your success once you have achieved your first milestone.
DON’T GIVE UP
If you mess up one day, or even a few days, you are still closer to succeeding if you stick to it than you would be if you quit altogether. Every day is a new opportunity to be better than you were yesterday. Forming new habits takes time so be kind to yourself and don’t give up. This is your new life.
You can’t rush something you want to last forever and I encourage you to view your new fitness lifestyle as a journey of continuous improvement with no defined end point. With this way of thinking you will embrace the journey and continue your healthy habits as a way of life.
Elle Blackwell is a 6 x bikini model Champion, 2013 INBA (SA) State Champion Bikini Model / Overall, 2015 Fit Bikini Model Extravaganza Winner, 2016 ANB (SA) Bikini Champion, 2017 ANB (SA) Bikini Winner and Overall Champion, 2017 WBFF (Gold Coast) Bikini Diva Champion, 2018 WBFF (Gold Coast) Bikini Diva Champion.
Elle lives in Perth, Western Australia and is passionate about inspiring women to be their best, no matter their starting point. Elle works full time in her business as a Lifestyle and Competition prep coach, coached part-time for 12 years for Sports Aerobics in schools and has a corporate background in Injury Management.
To get in touch and chat about your goals, get in touch CONTACT FORM
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