She’s the Australian fitness star and mother-of-two with an incredible figure most women only dream of.
And now 30-year-old personal trainer Chontel Duncan, from Brisbane, has revealed the ‘secret’ behind her toned abs and muscular form.
While she’s known for touting the benefits of HIIT, Chontel (who runs HIIT Australia) said that dedication and ‘self love’ are what guarantees results.
‘I am in my best shape at 30,’ she captioned a comparison photo of herself which recently posted to Instagram.
Australian fitness star Chontel Duncan recently shared a photo to Instagram showing her body seven days after giving birth (pictured left) and 15 months post-partum (pictured right)
Chontel who runs HIIT Australia reveals her ‘secret’ to her lean physique is practising “self-love” which I call “discipline”.’
The snaps, which show her body seven days after giving birth to her second child and 15 months post-partum, show having children and maintaining health aren’t necessarily at odds with each other.
‘Growing up I had this crazy vision of what having babies and hitting your 30s would look like (for me),’ she said.
But, she continued, not only is her body now ‘lean, fast and powerfully strong’, at 30 the fitness advocate now feels more content with her appearance than she did in her 20s.
‘I never thought I would feel more comfortable and confident now than I ever did in my 20s.’
What is Chontel Duncan’s day on a plate?
Breakfast
2 whole eggs
2 pieces of rye toast
Half a tomato, brown onion, mushrooms
20g cheese
WPI shake with choc greens powder
Morning tea
6 Curry Pumpkin Bites, steamed veggies
120g rice
Lunch
Black bean and beetroot burger pattie
20g cheese
1 barley wrap
Spinach, tomato, onion, capsicum
Chontel believes in the health benefits vegetarian diet
Afternoon tea
4 Quorn Nuggets, steamed veggies (peas, beans, corn & broccoli)
120g rice
Dinner
Veggie Vitality burger from Grill’d
Dessert
Choc coconut protein mousse
50g strawberries, 50g banana
‘Growing up I had this crazy vision of what having babies and hitting your 30s would look like (for me),’ Chontel said
As well as her dedication to strength conditioning, the celebrated trainer also credited Muay Thai kickboxing for revolutionising her attitude to health and life.
‘Muay Thai kickboxing found me when I was at my lowest, it brought me back to a place where I now take life and everything it throws at me with both hands and a big smile,’ she said.
‘Fitness and health are more than just physical results, it helps with everyday challenges in life.’
Choosing a lifestyle focussed on health and fitness helps the mum-of-two maintain an easy going attitude to whatever life throws her way
Speaking previously, Chontel revealed despite the fact she’s a busy mother of two, one thing has remained the same: she has continued to exercise, no matter what.
‘I still exercise every single week. I’ve never changed my style of training; it’s always been HIIT.’
The trainer believes that above all else consistency is one thing those on a fitness journey need to embrace in order to transform their bodies and their lives.
‘But it’s not always going to be a smooth road,’ Chontel said. ‘Falling off the wagon happens, you just have to gradually discipline your behaviour until you get back into the swing of things.’
‘I still exercise every single week. I’ve never changed my style of training; it’s always been HIIT,’ Chontel said
The health enthusiast also believes in the benefits of a diet that supports her lifestyle, one that’s vegetarian, and for the most part ‘clean’ (this means eating whole foods in their most natural state).
She said that ‘macro splitting’ allowed her to divide her food in a way that supported her weight and training goals.
‘I have certain macros I must stick within which calculates 1900 calories per day, my macro split is dominate in carbohydrates which I absolutely love,’ she told Daily Mail Australia previously.
Chontel eats more than people may think as she makes sure she has hearty meals for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and dessert.
She likes to mix things up but on an average day her breakfast will consist of eggs, toast, tomato, onion, mushrooms, cheese and a shake.
The health enthusiast said she also believes in the benefits of a diet that supports her lifestyle, one that’s vegetarian, and for the most part ‘clean’
Other breakfast options include protein muesli with almond milk and protein pancakes.
After she has morning tea she will have a black bean burger pattie with cheese, a barley wrap, spinach tomato and capsicum.
She also manages to fit in afternoon tea and dinner before having dessert which is made up of a protein mousse with strawberries and banana or clean chocolate brownies with protein ice cream.