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Contrary to popular belief, weight training will not have your muscles looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1974 (unless that’s what you’re after).
There are many benefits of weight training, such as increased fat loss and increased bone density.
That’s exactly why Christelle Mutombo decided to venture to the ‘boys side’ of the gym.
Realising that she was no longer happy with her petite figure, she desired to build muscle and her confidence. Here’s her story…
READ MORE: “I started weight training and it totally changed my body”
Christelle Mutombo
City: Johannesburg
Age: 32
Occupation: HR/Compliance, personal trainer/gym instructor
Weight before: 47kg
Weight after: 60kg
Time required to reach goal: 12 months
Secret weapon to your fitness journey: Fun & focus
READ MORE: “Fitness is not about losing weight — it’s a lifestyle”
How she trained
Like any eating and exercise regimen, you have to give it a few tries before you see results.
Christelle says that when it came to changing her body, she had to do a lot of research and trial-by-error. ” I experimented a lot with various food disciplines and forms of exercise.
At first, I put a lot of effort into building muscle and gaining weight but had to be mindful of what that would look like over time”, she explains.
Through trying to find what works for her, Christelle found that focusing on just cardio didn’t help her gain muscle.
Instead, she chose to focus on one group of muscle groups when exercising.
Each day is dedicated to a specific muscle group, she then ends off with a 15-20 minute run.
READ MORE: The 10-minute abs workout that will totally transform your abs
What she ate
In order to gain weight in a healthy manner, Christelle increased her portion sizes and how often she ate.
” I learned the difference between good and bad carbs, protein and high in fibre foods.
Now I know how to balance them out, at this point, I am focusing more on good carbs and proteins with a smaller percentage of high in fibre foods because I do not want to lose much but maintain what I have gained”, she says.
A great example of this is a yummy bounty bowl or this high-protein amasi caesar salad.
READ MORE: Celeb workout alert: this is how Jennifer Garner got so freaking toned
What she learnt
Christelle says that she is now super confident with her appearance but she is adamant that it’s not all about looks but that she absolutely smashed her goals!
“I feel like wonder woman and black widow combined, super badass! Like I can take on anything”, she says.
When it comes to what she’s learned throughout her journey is that getting things wrong is okay, as long as you’re learning and getting better every day.
“Learning and getting better at it every day is great and most of all it is important to have a clear goal you can achieve.
And try not to get caught up in comparing myself to those Instagram fitspos.”
READ MORE: 5 gym essentials you can score for less than R1000 — including shoes
Christelle’s tips
- Know and understand your goal
- Do your research and plan your workout routines
- Understand that nothing will change until your eating habits change for the better
- Do not lose yourself in Instagram bodies and wanting to look like anybody else but yourself
- Remember to be consistent, disciplined and focused
This article was originally published on Women's Health
